Sasuke's Dream
by Rasengan22
Summary: AU. High School. A new transfer student arrives at Sasuke's high school in Seattle. Little does he know how much that one meeting is going to change his life forever. Sasuke/Naruto
1. Chapter 1

**a/n:** Hi! So, this is actually part of the It Started Over Coffee Universe, but, specifically it was written to take place after Seattle, ch. 8. BUT, you do not need to read ANY coffee to read this fic. It definitely stands on its own, but within Coffee/Seattle, it is simply a dream that Sasuke is having (yes, it's an AU within an AU).

**Explanation:** There is a single dream chapter for Naruto within the Seattle sidefic if you want to read it. I wanted to do interludes as a sort of shout out to Spiral Falling, but Sasuke's just happened to take on a life of its own, and it is probably one of my most favorite universes I've written. It has its own sidefics, too, which can be found on y-gallery.

If you are interested in the timeline, this "dream" world takes place shortly after Coffee!Naruto's mother dies (except in this world she dies when Naruto is 16, not 12).

**If you have NOT read Coffee:** You can read this simply as a Naruto/Sasuke AU high school fic. I've always had a soft spot for high school fics but never really sat down to write one properly... until this.

**Yes, this is a boyxboy fic. Reviews are welcome, but I will be updating this fairly often so I can get back to posting Seattle.**

* * *

It was mid-March, a week before spring break, and the morning for Sasuke had already started out terrible. Not for any particular reason other than if someone so much as looked at him wrong he felt inclined to pick a fight. He'd had an argument with his father last night, but that wasn't anything new or even worth being angry about. It'd taken him a while to finally roll out of bed. Choosing something to wear took longer than usual, and when Itachi drove him all the way to his private school in downtown Seattle, he was set to be ten minutes late to first period. Luckily, the instructor was _always_ late, so it wasn't likely he'd even notice.

After he put his backpack away in his locker, he grabbed his textbook and notebook and made his way to the classroom. It was abnormal of him to be late, so a few students turned around and looked at him as he came in, but he didn't care. He slid into his seat and, no surprise, Kakashi wasn't here yet. The girl sitting behind him tapped him on the shoulder, so, with a grunt, he turned around.

"Did you hear there's a new transfer student?" She asked. "You're in student council, right? Do you know anything about him?"

He narrowed his eyes. "What kind of idiot transfers this late into a school year?"

"I don't know," she said in a snotty tone. "I heard he's from out of state, though. I think he's here on a sports scholarship?"

"Like I care," he replied. "Just what this school needs is one more dumb jock."

"What?" She asked.

Ignoring her, he turned back around, but it didn't matter as their teacher finally decided to show up. He strolled through one of the aisles and took a seat on the edge of his desk, arms folded to his chest, tie not knotted correctly, and his silver hair sticking out all over the place. If he wasn't so irritating, he might've come off as an attractive man, but he was, in fact, _very_ irritating.

"Sasuke, you look particularly constipated today," noted Kakashi. "Did someone steal your favorite hair gel and replace it with a generic brand this morning?"

A couple of kids snickered at the joke, but there were several girls who swiftly shushed them.

"It's good to see the new hair transplant is finally taking," Sasuke muttered. "I'm sure it was easy to pay for since you moved into your dad's basement."

"I'm really going to have to have a conversation with your brother about how much he shares with you." Kakashi probed at his hairline. "I'll have you know that for a man my age, I have a very healthy head of hair. By the way, just for that, I'm forcing you to take the new kid around school today. He was in the office earlier, so he should be here shortly."

Of course, announcing that he'd seen the new student caused the class to erupt in chaos as the girls bombarded their teacher with questions - most of which involved what he looked like.

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you. All teenagers look alike to me. How am I supposed to distinguish one from the other?"

"But Kakashi," a short girl with brunette hair at the front said, "Can't you at least tell us his hair color? Or what about his eyes?"

"I assure you that he had both hair and eyes." He scratched his chin. "I think."

"If Sasuke doesn't want to show him around, I'll be happy to," she chirped.

"No." He shook his head. "We all know how much Sasuke enjoys people, so this is his punishment."

"For what?" asked Sasuke. "What did I do?"

"You've got this look about you I don't like."

Sasuke glared. "Why would anyone ever give you a license to teach?"

"Because most people have sense not to want to work with high school-aged children. Schools are in desperate need of teachers, and I am happiest when I'm able to torture the younger generation, so here I am."

Sasuke might've had one more smartass comment to make, but the classroom door opened. Everyone turned around to look, including Sasuke. Even though the boy stood there with a stupid grin on his face, he couldn't help but take in a subtle sweep of all his acceptable features: bright blond hair, even brighter blue eyes, nice smile, athletic build, and somewhat tanned. He wore a red-hooded sweatshirt and faded jeans while everyone else was wearing their crisp school uniforms. He glanced around the room at the class and appeared to be surprised by the onslaught of attention (however, he seemed to _like_ it, which annoyed Sasuke).

"Hi," said the boy, giving everyone a wave, and suddenly the room broke into a cacophony of concealed whispers and comments. It would've been impossible to distinguish any one thing being said.

After a moment, the new kid shrugged and casually made his way down the aisle while slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Yo," said Kakashi, holding up his hand in greeting. "Nice of you to join us."

"Uh, yeah." The boy scratched the back of his head. "There was stuff missin' from my file, I guess, so it took a bit longer than I thought."

"Don't worry about it. Consider it a lesson on bureaucracy. It only gets worse as you get older."

"Um, sure."

Sasuke continued to observe from his desk. Other students were still having hushed conversations. He heard some girls saying that the new boy was "so cute" and "wow, did you see his eyes?" Sasuke wasn't so sure, though. Their school was big, and there were a lot of decent looking people already. He was a bit wary of adding one more jock to the mix.

"Feel free to introduce yourself to your new classmates. I'll be grateful if you extend it as long as possible. That puts us all that much closer to the end of the period," said Kakashi. As soon as their teacher said that, the entire room went dead silent, and all eyes were on the new boy. He stared back at them and flashed a huge grin, feeding off everybody's anticipation.

"Hello!" He practically shouted. "Uh, this is sorta awkward to be up here, but anyway. So, I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I'm a Libra, and I like movies with explosions, video games, baseball and all kinds of sports. Oh, and I like pizza. And pasta. And Asian food?"

"Naruto, this isn't an online dating site, just tell us where you came from and why you moved to Seattle, huh?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure." Naruto chuckled and scratched the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly at their teacher. "I'm from near Chicago. My dad got offered a position out here, and since we recently lost my mom," he paused momentarily with a slight falter to his smile, "We thought we'd try somethin' new. I'm here on a sports scholarship, uh, baseball specifically. I'm not a great student, but everyone I've met here so far has been nice."

"Don't worry about that," said Kakashi, "Most of them are terrible students. We do grade on a curve, but that one over there typically ruins it for everybody." He pointed at Sasuke.

Briefly, Sasuke's gaze met Naruto's, which was curious and calculating, and when he smirked, Sasuke simply narrowed his eyes at him.

"Sasuke will be showing you around the campus today."

"Why?" Naruto asked. "Is he bein' punished for somethin'?"

The class erupted into laughter.

"I have this feeling," Kakashi said, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "That I'm not going to like you. Now that you're done sharing, why don't you take that open seat?"

"But Kakashi," one girl who always wore heavy makeup interrupted, "Can't we ask Naruto questions?"

"Why? He's not going anywhere. Ask him out on your free period. I don't like to mix romance and teaching in my classes."

"Wh-what? I wasn't! Why. Ugh!" She hid her face behind her hands.

"It's cool," said Naruto. "I haven't made any friends yet, so I'd be happy to talk to you whenever."

She moved her hands, staring at him, dumbfounded. "R-really?"

"Sure," said Naruto. "Who wouldn't wanna talk to a pretty girl like yourself?"

She flushed bright red, and there were a couple of laughs, catcalls, and whistles. Naruto, looking pleased with himself, settled down into the empty seat that was two desks behind Sasuke and in the aisle next to him. He clucked his tongue, feeling uncomfortable with this exchange but couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why he felt this way.

Finally, after all the drama was over, the class proceeded with very minimal distraction throughout, except the occasional banter between Kakashi and Naruto that sometimes made even Sasuke smirk or quietly snigger, though he tried to hide it.

* * *

Since Sasuke's second period was a free one where he typically did errands for student council, he stopped at Naruto's desk and waited. He hadn't noticed it earlier since Naruto had his hands in his pockets, but there was a bandage wrapped around his right hand. Naruto glanced at him and smiled.

"Hey, my tour guide." He started to get up, but a few girls crowded around him, blocking his way. Politely, he excused himself from their questions and waved at Sasuke. "You ready?"

Sasuke didn't say anything, but walked down his aisle and met Naruto at the end.

"Have you been to your locker yet?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah. It's on the second floor." Naruto nudged him. "It's close to the girls' locker room."

"How fantastic for them," he replied dryly. "What do you have this period?"

"Um." Naruto pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket, "Modern World History?"

"It's fine if you're late or skip it entirely. Most people sleep through it."

"My Dad'll kill me if I cause any trouble on my first day."

"Why? Did you cause a lot of trouble at your last school?" Sasuke glanced at Naruto's hand.

"Heh. I'd prefer not to say. So, you're Sasuke? Sorry you have to go out of your way to show me around."

"Don't mention it," he said while avoiding a very slow-moving group of gossiping girls. "Kakashi's eccentric, but at least he makes class interesting." Since he wasn't particularly big on small talk, he didn't have much to add to the conversation, which turned out to not be a problem because Naruto was full of comments, observations, and questions. Sasuke could barely keep up, and, eventually, quit responding since he could tell Naruto was a little too overstimulated to absorb any more new information.

He showed Naruto all the classrooms on the first floor, where the cafeteria was located, and one of the lab rooms. He already knew where the office was, so there was no need to bring him there. They took their time. After all, it was better than him being forced to make copies of assignments in the office.

"So you're on student council," Naruto was saying as they headed up the stairwell to the second floor. "That must mean you're pretty popular, eh?"

"The school's not that large, so it isn't that big of a deal."

"You're so modest, Sasuke," Naruto's tone held a hint of teasing, "That must be why so many people like you."

"Hardly," he said. "You clearly know where the girls' locker room is, but the boys' locker room is down this hallway."

"What hour do you have P.E.?" Naruto asked.

"Fifth," Sasuke answered. "It's athletic P.E."

"Ah, good. At least there will be one familiar face then. I've got it fifth period, too. But, I didn't bring any gym clothes yet."

"They have some you can borrow," he said absently. "Or I have an extra set you can use."

"Really?" Naruto stopped at the door leading to the locker room.

Sasuke stopped, too, an eyebrow raised. "Is there a problem?"

"No!" Naruto adamantly shook his head. "I just was kinda worried that comin' here, bein' the new kid... I might not meet any friends on the first day."

"I wouldn't get ahead of yourself by calling us friends," Sasuke told him.

"Heh. Fair enough. Sorry to interrupt. Please continue the tour. I'll be quiet."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." He gave Naruto a light push on the lower part of his back. Sasuke showed him where his locker was located. There were several empty ones, but Naruto hadn't brought a padlock. He pointed out the showers, which rather than being open, were made of seven individual stalls.

Afterward, Sasuke showed him the rest of the classrooms upstairs, the computer labs, and the teachers' lounge. He gave him the rundown on the personalities of various teachers, who to be wary of, who to suck up to, who were actually decent teachers that cared about students. By the time the tour concluded, there were only 10 minutes left before third period. Sasuke walked Naruto to his locker and quizzed him on where his English class could be found. Satisfied that Naruto might remember at least that much, he left him to it.

"I'll see you in P.E.!" He yelled to Sasuke as he was walking away. "Thanks again for the tour!"

Sasuke didn't look back, but he gave a backward, indifferent sort of wave, half-wondering why that hadn't been nearly as annoying as he'd expected. However, he simply chalked it up to the fact he'd done his good deed for the day. So what if his bad mood from earlier had lifted and he couldn't stop wondering how someone's eyes could be _that_ blue. It was almost obscene.

* * *

When Sasuke arrived for fifth period, Naruto was sitting on the bench, having a chat with a senior about the varsity baseball team. Without greeting either of them, Sasuke opened his locker and pulled out one set of clothes for him (blue shirt, black shorts) and one for Naruto. He was already tugging his shirt over his head when Naruto finished his conversation.

"Hey," said Naruto. "Long time no see."

Sasuke wasn't amused, and as he pulled on his gym shirt, he glared out of the corner of his eye.

"What did I do?" Naruto asked.

The room started to fill up with other boys in their P.E. class.

"Put those on," Sasuke pointed at the clothing he'd set out as he adjusted his shirt.

"Okay." Naruto frowned, but Sasuke turned his back on him while he removed his shoes and undid his belt. "So, should I not ask if you've had a good day so far?"

Sasuke grunted, and when he turned around after putting his belt away, he caught a healthy glimpse of Naruto's very toned arms, chest, and stomach. In fact, he was busy removing his jeans, so he was bent over a bit, leaning against one of the lockers. Naruto happened to glance up at him. He hoped he was able to make his face go blank instantaneously because he very clearly had been leering.

Naruto didn't seem to notice, though. "Did I do somethin' wrong?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No. I'm trying to figure out why someone would purposely buy boxers that color?"

"Heh. I love these. They're my favorite pair. Let's see what you're wearing. I bet they're Calvin Klein or somethin', right?"

Sasuke squinted suspiciously at him. "Why are you so interested in my underwear?"

"I dunno." He shrugged. "You started it."

Sasuke shook his head and hurried up with taking off his own pants, which he folded and neatly put away into the locker. He slipped on his gym shorts and grabbed his sneakers. "You should probably have a separate pair of sneakers to leave here. Luckily you wore some today."

"I don't wear much other than sneakers," Naruto replied.

"You must get a lot of complaints from the neighbors," Sasuke remarked dryly and looked up from tying his laces when Naruto laughed. "It looks like my clothes fit you."

"Yeah, thanks." Naruto slicked down his hair in spots that had been sticking up. "I'll be sure to wash them after I get my own set. I guess my uniform isn't coming until next week."

"Next week is spring break," said Sasuke.

"Oh. Well. Whenever."

"You ready?" He asked, smoothing out one or two wrinkles on his shirt.

Naruto had his arms folded behind his head. "Yep!"

"Are you really going to be this enthusiastic about P.E.?"

"Yeah. I always have a lot of energy, and it's a good way to get rid of some of it. What sorta stuff do you guys usually do?"

"It depends. This week we've mostly been doing long-distance running, but since it's raining, that typically means about 25 laps around the gym. Maybe more if it's Gai teaching today instead of Kakashi."

"Kakashi teaches P.E., too?"

"It depends on what you mean by 'teach'," he replied.

"I thought he was alright this mornin'. Other than he spent about 20 minutes talking about the amount of male nudity that took place in the first Olympics, and the chapter had been about conserving the Great Coral Reef. I'm not quite sure how the two were related?"

"It's best not to think too deeply on these things," said Sasuke, and he led the way to the stairwell. Other boys were already headed down, their voices echoing against the concrete walls. "Have you met anyone of interest yet?"

"You mean any girls I like?" Naruto glanced at him.

"I didn't mean that in particular, but sure."

"You have a lot of pretty girls here. My school did, too. I liked a lot of people in my English class third period, and I sat next to a girl in my biology class who was pretty sweet. Kinda reminded me of this girl from my last school. She was super shy, but always nice. Do you have a girlfriend, Sasuke?"

He cleared his throat. "Not at the moment, no."

"Ah, that's too bad. I would've thought you did."

They entered a narrow, brightly lit hallway. The walls were painted a very harsh white that was almost blinding.

"Why would you think that?" He asked.

Naruto gave him a pointed look. "You know."

Sasuke didn't know, so he stared back at him expectantly.

"You're not really gonna make me say it, are you?" Naruto complained.

"I'm not making you do anything. I just don't know what you mean."

Naruto sighed. "There's no way you don't know that you're, _y'know_, a good lookin' guy. Not as good lookin' as me." He grinned broadly. "But. You're alright."

"Right."

"Are you gonna tell me you're one of those guys who doesn't care about looks at all? That it's more about brains and personality? Maybe that's why you don't have a girlfriend. Your standards are too high. Maybe college women would be more your type?" Naruto hummed questioningly.

"Well if it's brains and personality that I'm after," Sasuke said, beginning to get irritated with this line of questioning, "At least we know you have nothing to worry about."

"Hey, harsh!"

Sasuke began to walk a little faster.

"Oh that's mature," Naruto called after him. "Walk away from the new kid."

Sasuke ignored him, and conveniently, since Naruto could strike up a conversation with a fence post, he began chatting up the next person who entered his radar. It happened to be Sai, who most students tended to avoid because he was broody and had no concept of personal space or how to act in a social setting. Also, he often fell prey to a very small group of jocks who'd recently found out about his sexual orientation. Sasuke put an end to the bullying when he could (he had that power as someone on the student council and because he knew enough martial arts to take down a number of people at once), but he also thought Sai needed to show a little more backbone. Or discretion. Maybe Sasuke hadn't shouted his own sexuality from the rooftops, but he'd never been one to want to draw attention to himself either.

They all entered the gym and gathered in their respective lines, which were based on year in school and, apparently, athletic prowess. Sasuke was at the front of the line for sophomores. Naruto didn't know where to go, so he stood at the front awkwardly until Sasuke waved him over.

"We're in line by grade," he said.

"Why are you at the front, though?" Naruto asked. "Is it alphabetical?"

The boy standing in the line beside them laughed; Naruto glared at him.

"It was just a question," Naruto defended.

"It's by how well you do in activities overall," answered the other boy. "Best running time, number of goals, pull-ups, push-ups, stuff like that."

"Ah." Naruto seemed to understand, but he suddenly narrowed his eyes at Sasuke. "That must make you the best, eh?"

Sasuke didn't answer since he actually thought it meant he was the most_competitive_.

"Fine then," said Naruto. "I'll consider you my competition."

"It's not really that big of a deal." That was a lie, but best not to antagonize Naruto because he might not shut up about it, and the thing he liked about gym class was the fact he only had to focus on being physical for an hour.

"He's been at the front since we started high school," the boy from earlier just had to mention. "Good luck with that, new kid."

"Y'know," Naruto said and pointed at him. "I don't like you."

Thankfully - and even though it ended up being Gai, after all - the teacher finally showed up, practically sprinting to the sophomore line of boys. He put one hand on Naruto's shoulder and the other on the shoulder of the boy in the line next to them.

"As much as I applaud your youthful competitiveness, I'd rather see you take that energy and put it toward your athletics, boys! You're new, aren't you? What's your name?" He asked Naruto.

"Naruto, sir." Naruto practically saluted. "Naruto Uzumaki!"

"I like your enthusiasm, Naruto. But since you're new - get to the back of the line. Like all men, we have to earn our spot in life, and in this gym, we have to earn our spot in line." He gave Naruto a shove toward the back. A few boys laughed, but most of them were immune to Gai's unique personality. Sasuke had learned to tune him out long ago. Besides, he couldn't fault someone for being into something they enjoyed, and Gai was certainly very into sports, athletics, and working out.

As predicted, they were told to run a mile, which was no big deal to Sasuke. For a while, as they started running, he kept to himself like he typically did. After about five laps, however, Naruto caught up with him.

"I'm gonna be like those guys who do the biathlon at the winter Olympics. You gotta set your pace with the leader and all that."

"What happened to your friend Sai?" Sasuke asked, noticing Naruto hadn't even broken a sweat and his breathing was completely under control.

"Uh. He started talkin' about weird things I didn't understand."

"What?" Sasuke glanced at him. "Simple addition and subtraction?"

"Ha ha, very funny, bastard."

"What did you just call me?"

"Uh... bastard?"

"You know the literal definition of that word, don't you?"

"I dunno if it's literal, but doesn't it usually mean you're a jerk?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No wonder they put you in remedial English."

"See!" Naruto knocked into his shoulder. "You're a total jerk. Sai talking about iambic pentameter is almost preferable to this, except he didn't wanna run very fast, and I don't wanna be in the back of the line."

"Everyone knows you're new, Naruto. Why do you care so much about what anyone thinks?"

"Why do you care so little?" Naruto asked. "Maybe if you did, it might make you less cynical and sarcastic."

"If you don't like the way I talk," Sasuke replied coldly, "You don't need to stay at my side." He sped up his pace.

For a few laps, Naruto hung back, but eventually he was right beside him again.

"Sorry," he said. "I dunno why I said that. You've been nothin' but nice to me today. I guess I just want people to like me. You, especially."

Sasuke looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"Well, you're obviously top of the class in homeroom, top of the class here. You're probably at the top in every class. You're on student council. When I mentioned to a bunch of people in my last class that you were the one who gave me a tour, all the girls practically swooned. I guess if I was you, I'd be pretty damn happy. I bet there are a lotta people who look up to you. Hell, even wanna be you."

Sasuke absorbed this quietly, trying to find an angle for why Naruto would be flattering him so blatantly. Did he want something?

"You know," he said. "Hanging out with me won't necessarily cause you to soar in popularity."

Naruto stopped running, and when he did, he grabbed hold of Sasuke's sleeve. "What did you just say?"

Sasuke glanced at the hand on his sleeve. "You heard me."

Naruto glared. "I didn't say all that 'cause I want you to make me popular. Jesus, you really are a bastard, aren't you? Do you think after everything I went through recently that I give a shit about trivial crap like bein' popular? I was _paying you a compliment_, not tryin' to stick my nose up your butt." With a shake of his head, he let go of Sasuke's shirt and jogged off.

Sasuke stood a moment in disbelief, watching his back, and noticing others were looking at him (Naruto hadn't exactly kept his voice down during his tirade), began to run again. He didn't think there was anything wrong in jumping to the conclusion that someone would want something from him. Other people had done similar things, which is why he kept a very small group of friends, and none of which he would consider to be _close_ friends.

He blanked it out and concentrated on finishing his mile in a decent time. It didn't even bother him that Naruto finished with a better time, but it _did_ sort of bother him that Naruto didn't say a single word to him throughout the rest of the class, even when they went to change in the locker room. Usually Sasuke wouldn't have cared except Naruto had sounded so sincere when he'd been saying all that. Maybe it had just confused and flustered him because he wasn't used to, well. Sincerity. Or honesty. Not from boys their age. Mostly the guys around here were only interested in boasting how good they were, and not so much about complimenting others on their strengths.

Why had it made him so uneasy that he'd needed to lash out? Even if Naruto had been blowing smoke up his ass, why had he gotten so defensive? Why should he care what Naruto did?

Annoying.

Thankfully, there was just lunch and two more periods left. He and Naruto only shared the two classes, so it wasn't like he'd have to deal with him the rest of the day.

But, again, why the hell did he even care so much?

* * *

At the end of the day, Sasuke was beyond grateful to see his brother's car parked in the school lot. The rain was pouring, and he was in no mood to take a bus, plus he would've had to walk several blocks to get to the right bus stop. As he was leaving, he noticed Naruto standing outside of the entrance, his hood drawn up and ratty backpack hanging off of his shoulder. He considered walking past him without saying anything, but... he wasn't that childish.

He paused at Naruto's side. "Do you need a ride home?"

Naruto glanced his way, obviously not happy to see him. "Oh," he said. "It's you."

Sasuke sucked in a breath, which was apparently a tactic that helped with pride swallowing. "Would it help if I said I'm sorry about earlier?"

"It's fine. I'm sure you're used to people leechin' on to you. I'll find someone else to bother about stuff, don't worry."

"Naruto," Sasuke said, biting back the urge to punch him. "You're not a bother. Are you going to accept my apology or not?"

Naruto cocked his head. "If I do," he started to smile. "What do I get out of it?"

He felt an odd sense of relief seeing Naruto smile. "Like I said. I'll give you a ride. Or are you philosophizing about the rain? Perhaps you can write a poem about it and share it with Sai?"

"What's your obsession with Sai?" Naruto asked.

He scowled. "I don't have an obsession with Sai."

"Yeah, right. You act like you're jealous or somethin'."

"Me?" He scoffed. "Jealous of Sai?"

"Just 'cause other people pick on him doesn't mean he's not a cool guy. He just thinks differently. That's why I hate high school. People are so small-minded. It irritates me." Naruto shook his arms out.

That was the second time today Naruto had left him rather speechless with his, well, for lack of better words, show of passion. When he managed to collect himself, he grabbed for Naruto's wrist.

"Come on," he said. "We'll make a run for it."

"What?" Naruto didn't have much time to react as Sasuke dragged him through the rain and made a dash for Itachi's car. When they got there, he opened the back door for Naruto and practically threw him inside. He got in on the passenger's side, shirt soaked and sticking to his skin.

"Uh, am I bein' kidnapped?" Naruto asked from the back.

"Yes, Sasuke. What exactly are your plans? If I'd known of this ahead of time, I would've brought the leather hood."

"Leather hood?" Naruto leaned forward between the two front seats. "Really?"

"Don't put weird ideas into his head," said Sasuke as he fixed his hair using the mirror on the back of the visor. "This is Naruto, by the way. Naruto, this is my brother, Itachi."

"Hello, Naruto," said Itachi, looking at him in the rearview mirror.

"'Ello."

"I don't believe I've seen you in Sasuke's company before."

"I'm new. Just moved here."

"From Chicago?" Itachi asked, and surprised, Sasuke glanced at him curiously.

"How did you know that?" he asked.

"He has a little bit of an accent, can't you tell?"

"Really?" Naruto beamed. "I have an accent?" He covered his mouth for a few seconds and then removed his hand. "You have to be pretty smart to notice somethin' like that. Your parents must be proud, eh? To have two smart sons?"

"Oh," said Itachi. "I like you. Much better than the uppity academic clique Sasuke sometimes socializes with, and I use the term socializes very loosely."

Sasuke scowled. "Who are you even talking about?"

"Heh. I can see that about him," said Naruto. "He's popular, but he acts like such a loner."

"Well, Sasuke is very mature for his age, and most of his contemporaries are not. I'm sure you can imagine the problem."

"Why are you talking about me as if I'm not here?" Sasuke growled and threw his backpack behind him. Naruto let out a curse since it nailed him in the face.

"What the hell did I do?" Naruto yelled. "Why is it every time I compliment you, you look like you're gonna shoot lasers out your eyes?"

"It's difficult being misunderstood," Itachi said in his place. "Be a little more patient, Naruto. You'll get used to it. Before we torment my brother further, would you mind telling me where you'd like to be dropped off, or," he looked at Sasuke with a smirk, "Will he be coming home with us?"

Sasuke glared because he knew what his brother was implying. "Just drop him off wherever he lives."

"Maybe he's thirsty," said Itachi. "Perhaps we should stop somewhere and get something warm to drink?"

Oblivious, Naruto started to ramble on about all the reasons he couldn't possibly ask them to go out of their way like that. Finally, Sasuke had to tell him to shut up. Itachi chuckled, which meant Sasuke, yet again, sent him a glare.

"By the way, Naruto," said Itachi, "You don't have a girlfriend, do you?"

"No," replied Naruto. "Why? Do you?"

"Thank you for asking, but I do not. Did you know Sasuke's single?"

"Yeah. I asked him earlier. I figured he woulda had one."

"Well, he doesn't. Or, he did last year, didn't you, Sasuke? I believe you two went to Homecoming together?"

Okay, now Sasuke was really getting irritated. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not," Itachi said. "I don't know why he doesn't date more often. I think he'd make someone a very good boyfriend." He turned around in the seat. "Don't you think so, Naruto?"

"Um, I guess? Maybe? Well, no. Not really. He kinda has a short temper and a superiority complex, and he's also pretty competitive. And he can't take compliments."

"And there you have it," Itachi said, smirking at Sasuke.

Sasuke turned his irritation on Naruto. "What happened to everything you were saying in gym?"

"Yeah, well that all changed after you were a bastard. I'm not gonna say nice things about you ever again!"

Itachi made a noise of amusement. "Bastard? Did he just refer to you as a bastard?"

"He's too base to understand the literal definition."

"I don't think he's calling you that based on the literal definition."

"That's what _I_ said!" added Naruto.

"I'm surprised he was able to follow the conversation," Sasuke murmured.

"As am I," agreed Itachi.

"You guys both suck. Should I just leave? I don't wanna stay in here if you're gonna mock my intelligence the entire time."

"That's not true," Itachi said. "The only person I want to continuously mock is my brother. Would you like to get a hot chocolate before I take you home?"

"I don't really wanna trouble you," said Naruto.

"It's no trouble, really. I'm only in town for a few more days, and it's always a pleasure to meet one of Sasuke's boy...friends."

"Huh?"

Sasuke punched his brother in the shoulder. "Stop confusing him. It's obnoxious."

"It's hard to say who the confused one is," Itachi replied in a quiet voice, and then he leaned over to whisper in Sasuke's ear. "He's nice, Sasuke. And very attractive for a boy your age."

Sasuke glared. "Yes, and also very heterosexual. Now shut up and drive."

"What are you two whisperin' about?" Luckily, Naruto was too busy trying to work the seat belt to have noticed their little tête-à-tête.

"We're trying to decide who has the best hot chocolate in town," answered Itachi.

"Oh, when I wanted a hot drink back home, I usually went to Starbuck's. You have some of those, right?"

"Only about a thousand," Sasuke said sarcastically, glancing at Naruto in the mirror. "Did you figure out how to work that seat belt yet, or do I need to come back there and show you?"

"No, I'm fine." Naruto pouted and crossed his arms.

Sasuke smirked. When he noticed Itachi _noticing_ him smirking, he replaced it with a deep scowl.

"You're hilarious, Sasuke," Itachi said as he put the car in reverse.

"Yeah," said Naruto, having missed the deeper meaning of Itachi's words. "He is pretty funny, isn't he. He had me laughin' several times today."

"Did you hear that, Sasuke? He says he likes your sense of humor. At least you have one thing going for you."

"I hate you." Sasuke loosened the knot of his tie. "I will pay you back for this."

"Look at you and your goals of revenge." Itachi smirked. "So adorable."

He heard Naruto laughing in the back seat, so Sasuke found the closest hard object and lobbed it behind him, satisfied when Naruto cursed and shouted something about being blinded in one of his eyes now.

* * *

The next day, instead of heading downstairs to the cafeteria for lunch, Sasuke opted to stay after fifth period to take a shower. Usually gym didn't cause him to work up enough sweat that he needed one, but keeping up with Naruto had led him to become... especially competitive today.

Once most of the boys had gone, he stripped down and wrapped a towel around his waist, bringing a bottle of body wash with him into the stall. He stood under the spray and shook his head, flinging droplets of water that scattered across the white tiles. Placing his hands on the wall, he let the hot water hit his back. They'd done pull-ups, so his shoulders and arms were sore. He was about to reach for the body wash when there was a knock on the door. When Sasuke cracked it open it was to find Naruto standing there, dressed in the school's uniform, including the blazer that carried the school's emblem on a blue and gold patch.

"Were you wearing that before?" Sasuke asked. "I thought you weren't getting your uniform until next week."

"Oh this?" Naruto smirked. "I borrowed it."

"From who?"

"Why does it matter?"

Sasuke stared at him irritably. "Well, what did you want? Can't you see that I'm showering?"

"I noticed that," said Naruto, glancing down and then up again before taking off his blazer and throwing it behind him on the floor.

He put his hand on the door - above Sasuke's so that their fingers touched - and pushed it open. Immediately, the water hit him, soaking his clothes as he forced Sasuke to take several steps backward - a hand on his chest.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked, too momentarily stunned to do anything, even when his back collided with the wall.

"Isn't it obvious?" Naruto cupped the side of his face. All of his bright, blond hair was becoming matted to his forehead and cheeks. The white button-down shirt he wore was nearly transparent as it clung to his slim build. "You think I didn't notice the way you were leering at me yesterday when I was changing?"

"I don't know what you're - " Sasuke began to argue, but Naruto tipped his chin up and attacked his throat, sucking on it as fingers traced down from his chest to his stomach, lower still until Sasuke finally regained his sense and grabbed his hand. "Stop."

"Why?" Naruto's face was close to his. "You think I didn't pick up on all those hints that your brother kept goin' on about?"

"Naruto..." Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Get out, or I'll make you get out."

"Why? You heard what I said yesterday. You're smart, you're funny, you're good lookin'. Why do you think I asked if you had a girlfriend?" He tilted his head and parted his lips while staring intently at Sasuke's mouth. "We're alone. I made sure of it before I came in here. Contrary to what you think," he leaned in and brushed his lips to Sasuke's, causing him to shiver, "I'm not stupid. When I see somethin' I want, I go after it."

Naruto kissed him fully on the lips, and Sasuke, being a hormonal teenager - a very gay, hormonal teenager - slid his hands into Naruto's hair and crushed their mouths together all the harder. He let out a loud moan when Naruto moved a thigh between his legs and started to rub it against him. From there, the chemistry between them exploded as he struggled to undo Naruto's tie while Naruto's fingers worked fast at undoing his buttons. It wasn't happening fast enough for him, so he grabbed for Naruto and brought their mouths together again, pushing his tongue between Naruto's lips until he felt the other boy take hold of him by the shoulders and roughly turn him around. Naruto pressed up against him from behind, running his hands over the front of Sasuke's body while biting at the base of his neck, along his shoulder and upper back. The instant the other boy wrapped his hand around Sasuke's penis, he felt like his skin was on fire - he felt _that_ painfully consumed with desire for more.

He heard the sound of Naruto's belt hitting the floor, but the hand on him continued to pump when he was already so hard. Gratifyingly, he felt Naruto's bare skin against his as he molded to Sasuke's back. He wanted to look behind him, but Naruto put a hand on the back of his head and told him to stay still.

"Tell me, Sasuke," Naruto said into his ear. "Have you done this before?"

"...Once."

"Good, then I don't have to worry about bein' gentle, do I?" He scraped his teeth along the side of Sasuke's throat and pulled at his hair, forcing his head back. "Unlike in gym, I hope you're able to keep up with me 'cause I could do this to you all night long."

Just as he felt the tip of a probing finger, a loud alarm went off in the school building - shrill, buzzing, and persistent.

"_Sasuke_ \- "

Sasuke woke up in his own bed, staring blearily at the ceiling. He slammed his hand down on his alarm and nearly ripped it out of the wall so that he could throw it across the room. Slowly, he pulled himself into a sitting position, noticing one very obvious, rather uncomfortable situation that involved him now sporting a tent in his boxer-briefs. What the hell had that been about? That idiot? _Really_? Still, everything had felt... rather real. The kissing, the touching, the passion, the look of desire on Naruto's face... shit.

Then someone knocked at the door, and instead of waiting for him to answer, opened it and peeked a head in.

"You're up," said his brother. "Time for school."

"Yes, I know," he snapped. "That's what alarms are for." Self-consciously he pulled the blankets toward him.

Itachi smirked. "Well, if you want a ride today, make sure you're ready in time. I have a breakfast date with some friends of mine at 8. Why don't you call Naruto and see if he needs a ride?"

Haughtily, he lifted up his chin, ignoring Itachi's choice of words. "I'm not calling Naruto. I don't even have his number. He can find his own damn way to school."

"Very well. I'll leave you to it then. Let me know when you're ready." He shut the door.

Sasuke sighed, shaking his head as he glanced at the bit of morning light streaming through the window. He blamed this on being a teenager, and, unlike most boys he knew, he happened to like other boys, which could feel extremely frustrating at times. Objectively, Naruto was not entirely unattractive, and he'd filled Sasuke's head with all that stupid flattery yesterday. But, it didn't mean anything, so like anyone who wanted to forget the physical attraction he felt toward a classmate of the same gender would do, he chose to bury it somewhere in his sub-conscious so that he never had to think about it again.

Or, well. He would put that plan into action _after_ he took a shower since he needed to get a handle on his little problem. If he didn't do it now, who knew what sort of embarrassing situation could arise during class.

* * *

When Sasuke arrived to homeroom, he immediately went to his seat, refused to look at anyone or anything, and decided to immerse himself in a book Itachi had bought him the other week. He must've read the same sentence about 10 times when he felt a hand on his shoulder and nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Wow, sorry," said Naruto. "You musta really been deep into whatever it is you're readin'."

Sasuke should've ignored him entirely, but made the mistake of glancing up. Naruto, like in his dream, was dressed in the school's full uniform. The tie was a bit crooked, and he fought a compulsive urge to fix it for him.

"Where did you get that?" He immediately asked, but recalling more of the dream, decided he didn't care. "Nevermind. I don't want to know. I'm sure it's a boring story. Now go away so that I can read this book in peace."

"Why?" Naruto plucked the book from his fingers. "I've never read this before, is it any good?"

Sasuke attempted to glare at him, but Naruto was busy reading the summary on the back. "Do you mind?"

"Not really, no," Naruto answered distractedly.

Since he had the opportunity, he took in Naruto's overall appearance with the intention that he was only trying to figure out why he would possibly fantasize about someone as ignorant as Naruto. He'd put some effort into styling his hair today. It was spiked a lot more on top and in the back, and he swore he caught a whiff of cologne. The clothes looked clean, and the shirt and black slacks were well-pressed. He knew Naruto had mentioned losing his mother, so who was there to do the house work, and where _had_ he borrowed a uniform from on such short notice? Was it just him, or did the sleeves look to be a little long? Naruto had rolled up the cuffs of the blazer and the white button-down underneath it. He had on the same pair of orange and blue Nike sneakers from yesterday. It was the girl that sat behind Sasuke who interrupted his gawking by complimenting Naruto on how the uniform looked on him.

Absently, he returned the book to Sasuke and smiled at her. "Really? Thanks."

He beamed and took a seat on the edge of her desk, completely turning his back to him, which was fine because Sasuke _did not care_. He buried his face in the book, trying to remain as casual as possible. Not that anyone was paying attention. Even for a Tuesday everyone else seemed loud and full of energy. He tried to tune out the conversation going on behind him, but just when he'd finally been able to move on to the _second_ sentence, Naruto appeared beside him in a crouched position. For balance, he put his hand on Sasuke's knee. He tried his best not to react, not even to glare like he would usually do, but the feel of Naruto's hand on him in combination with the memories of his dream - yeah, he was really thankful that he relieved some of his tension in the shower.

"You seem a little tense today," Naruto said. "Am I botherin' you?"

"If you're breathing, you're bothering me," Sasuke replied.

"Wow, I can already tell you're not a mornin' person." Naruto got to his feet. "Fine. I just wanted to thank you for the hot chocolate and ride home yesterday, but as my gratitude will be wasted on a bastard like you, I'll just have to say thanks to your brother the next time I see him."

"Why would you be seeing my brother again?" Sasuke asked. When Naruto didn't give a response, he dragged his gaze away from the book to look up at Naruto. The clarity he saw in Naruto's eyes momentarily threw him off, as if Naruto was attempting to put the pieces together in his head. "What?"

Naruto shrugged. "Nothin'. You just seem... different today. Not scary like you sometimes pretend to be, but, like... edgy."

"You're giving it too much thought," he replied coldly. "I did what I did yesterday because I felt sorry for you, that's all. Don't get any ideas that we're suddenly best friends."

The hurt that dealt Naruto was obvious, but Sasuke thought it was best to protect himself. He hardly knew this boy, and he hated feeling uncomfortable like this, like he wasn't at the top of his game.

"Fine." Naruto's tone was short. "Enjoy your book." He returned to his seat only to strike up a conversation with some others around him, but he kept his back to Sasuke.

Throughout the rest of the period, after Kakashi arrived 12 minutes late to his own class, he did his best to pretend like yesterday never happened and Naruto didn't so much as exist in his world.

* * *

Since Naruto had brought his own set of gym clothes today (as well as a lock), he removed his things from Sasuke's locker and went to find his own. He kept the ones he'd borrowed yesterday, mumbling something to Sasuke about washing them before he returned them. He thought he would be fine washing them himself, but he didn't feel like prolonging any sort of communication with Naruto today. Every time he looked at him, he kept remembering the feeling of being pushed against the cold tiles and that cocksure look Naruto had worn, all those things that he'd said, too...

Sasuke slammed the locker door when he was finished and headed, along with the rest of the boys, to the gym. The weather was nicer today so they'd be able to use the outdoor track. They were going to split into three groups - some would run a relay, some would try jumping hurdles, and others would try the high jump. He noticed that Naruto was talking to Sai quite a lot. Even when others approached Naruto to join them, he seemed to stay at Sai's side. Thankfully, Gai didn't force them to group together by grade, so while he got sent to the group doing hurdles, Naruto went with the group doing the relay. After every group had rotated among the three events, the boys with the best times competed. With the relay, it was changed into a 200 meter sprint. Even though Sasuke had bested everyone in his group at each rotation, Gai decided it would be more fair for him to choose just one. Naruto had several of the upperclassmen in his group, unlike Sasuke, who'd mostly gone up against freshmen and sophomores. Even so, Naruto had been the fastest in the relay. So, of course, he chose to do the sprint.

Naruto barely paid him any attention as they went to their starting points on the track. All of the class was sitting in the bleachers, watching them. Some were openly cheering for him, others for Naruto. Gai stood beside them, holding his pair of stop watches. The end point was marked by a bright red piece of duct tape. When Gai told them to, they both got into a starting position - Naruto's stance was similar to his - and then there was the shout of _GO_!

While Sasuke ran, he felt hyper conscious of Naruto, even if they were a lane apart. The distance they were running wasn't much, but he put everything he had into it, so that when he reached the colored tape, he was panting hard. He wasn't even sure who had won. When he turned around, his arm accidentally brushed against Naruto since they were both waiting to see whose time was faster. No one was clapping. Gai walked up to the both of them and showed them the stopwatches.

The bowl-haired teacher scratched his head. "As much as I dislike saying this, I'm afraid it was too close to call. We'll have to label this one a tie!"

"We'll do it again then," said Sasuke, and he glared at Naruto.

Naruto crossed his arms. "Fine with me. I was holdin' back anyway."

Sasuke snorted. "Aren't you just a little too cocky for someone that's an idiot?"

"Aren't you just actin' threatened because someone else may be better than you at some things?"

"At what?" Sasuke said childishly, "Being an idiot?"

Naruto stepped over to him, getting in his face. "Better than bein' a bastard, jerk."

"Can't you make up your mind, loser. Am I a bastard or a jerk?"

"You're both!" Naruto shouted, grabbing the collar of his shirt.

"Boys," Gai stepped in between them and pushed both teenagers apart. "You remind me of me when I was young. Kakashi Hatake and I were just like the two of you, so competitive - "

Neither of them stayed to listen to what Gai had to say about his springtime of youth. Though they walked side by side, neither of them spoke. Sasuke went up the stairs to the bleachers and sat by himself toward the middle. Naruto went a different way and found an open seat next to Sai, who leaned over and said something in Naruto's ear that made the blond laugh out loud.

"Tch." Sasuke put his feet up on the bleacher seat in front of him.

The class went through the rest of the event competitions, but he hardly paid attention. The sun was starting to come out, warming his skin. For a brief few minutes, he shut his eyes and leaned his head back. When he opened them again, for some reason his gaze just happened to travel in Naruto's direction, where he almost swore the other boy quickly looked away the instant their eyes met.

But, by then it was time for everyone to go in, and it seemed to him Naruto was being very careful about keeping distance between them.

Up in the locker room, after most of the boys had cleared out for lunch, Sasuke remained sitting on the bench. He was debating taking a shower, but for obvious reasons, that didn't feel like such a good idea. He was already dressed anyway, so what if he stunk for a couple of hours? The sound of whistling caught his attention, and thinking that it was Gai, he got to his feet to talk to him about something regarding the track team. As Sasuke was walking toward the office, the whistling continued, and when he rounded the corner, he nearly ran right smack into Naruto, who was wearing a white towel around his waist. There was another smaller one thrown over his shoulder.

"You've got to be kidding me," he said without realizing it.

"Excuse me?" Naruto said.

"What are you still doing here?"

"I'm sorry, do you own this locker room? Can't you tell? Clearly I was takin' a shower 'cause I worked up quite a bit of sweat out there."

Sasuke bit his lip. It took a lot of willpower not to run his eyes over Naruto's -_everything_.

"I hate you," he ended up saying.

Rather than looking hurt, Naruto appeared genuinely confused. "What is _wrong_ with you today? Did I do somethin' to bug you because yesterday we were gettin' along just fine. Y'know, we were jokin' and laughin', and I really enjoyed bein' around you. But today, you're like another person."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort something incredibly nasty and cruel, but as he glanced down briefly and caught a glimpse of Naruto's bandaged hand, he asked: "What happened to your hand?"

"I put it through a window," Naruto answered. "So what? Are you gonna answer my question? Why are you bein' such a dick? I really _liked_ you."

"Maybe that's the problem," said Sasuke.

"How can liking someone ever be a problem?" Naruto asked, his pale eyebrows knitting together.

Sasuke blinked at him and after a beat, replied: "You're naive."

"Maybe. I guess. If that's what you wanna think of me, but there's nothin' wrong with wanting to be someone's friend, Sasuke. I'm not backin' down on that one."

"Who cares? You seem to want everyone to be your friend. Are you that desperate for attention?"

If he'd punched Naruto directly in the gut, Sasuke didn't think he'd look any less hurt than he did now.

Naruto laughed darkly, looking away as he rubbed his hand down the side of his face. "That's great. I'm sorry I thought you were different from everyone else, but it turns out you're one of those typical narrow-minded _assholes_ that think it's cooler to be an ice prick than to, y'know, be a decent human being." He pushed passed, shouldering into Sasuke as he went to his locker.

Sasuke stood a minute, absorbing Naruto's words, his anger, and all the while thinking he'd done a good job in putting distance between them because if Naruto found out that he was gay, he'd turn his back on him anyway. Still, to let anyone talk to him that way - he ended up following after him. Naruto was using the smaller towel to dry his hair, and as he dropped it on the floor, Sasuke put a hand on his shoulder. He spun Naruto around and shoved him into the locker.

"How is that fair?" He shouted. "How is it fair for you to unload on me like that when you don't know what I've been through?"

"What _you've_ been through?" Naruto laughed in his face. "You haven't asked one goddam thing about me and my situation, and you're pissed off that I can't immediately understand why you're such a fucking... ASSHOLE?!"

"So you moved here with your father because your mother died, so what? Do you think you're the only one who's ever lost parents?"

"I'm sorry, did _you_ lose your parents?" Naruto yelled, pushing back at him. "I got the impression you still had both parents based on what you and your brother talked about yesterday. So, how the _hell_ would you know how I feel when I've lost my _mother_, Sasuke? Huh? What do you know about that kind of pain? I'm sorry that high school is so traumatic for you because you're so fuckin' popular and everyone loves you and all the girls want to date you, and yet _none of this_ makes you happy!"

By the end, Naruto was panting and had a tight grip on his blazer; Sasuke's hand was placed flat to Naruto's chest. All he could see was that passion and fire and anger in Naruto's eyes, so bright and _alive_. His eyes searched Naruto's face for just a split second before he leaned in, cupped the back of Naruto's head, and kissed him on the mouth. While pressing him into the locker, he heard Naruto's sharp inhale of breath and ignored it as his fingers wound their way into damp, blond hair.

Naruto didn't respond to the kiss and, eventually, pushed him away. His blue eyes were so wide, so full of surprise and confusion that Sasuke immediately felt horror at what he'd done. He could clearly see himself reflected in the way Naruto looked at him now. His big secret was revealed, and he was going to be fucked if his father found out.

"Sasuke," Naruto said, touching his fingers to his lips. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT? DID YOU KISS ME JUST TO GET ME TO SHUT UP? WE WERE HAVING A SERIOUS CONVERSATION!"

Sasuke lunged at him and clapped a hand over his mouth. "Would you shut up, idiot? I don't think the entire school heard you!"

Naruto said something into his hand he couldn't make out.

"If I remove my hand, you better keep your voice down. Can you do that?"

Naruto nodded. His eyes had become suspicious slits as Sasuke moved his hand away.

Sighing, he rubbed his hand against his slacks as if having touched Naruto's mouth gave him a fear of germs. Ironic since he'd just kissed that same mouth and had no problem with it at all.

"I'm...sorry about what I said." He apologized. "I shouldn't have said that about your mother."

"So... to make it up to me, you decided to kiss me on the mouth?"

"Don't worry. I instantly regretted it." Lie. Lie. Lie. But Naruto didn't need to know that.

"Are you... _y'know_," Naruto questioned hesitantly.

"Am I...?" Sasuke slid his hands into his pockets. "What?"

"I think," Naruto licked his lips. "You're an exhibitionist. That's it. You're so high strung, so wound up that you get off on these weird pranks or whatever. Like, shocking people."

"Or," said Sasuke. "Maybe I like you."

"Huh?" Naruto stared stupidly.

"Didn't you say earlier that there was nothing wrong with liking someone?"

"Uuh... You like me? Wait. I'm confused. You said you hated me. Wait. I'm really, really confused."

Sasuke almost felt sorry for him. He placed his hand on top of Naruto's head and ruffled his hair. "Here's a secret I only tell to people I like and, for some reason, feel I can trust."

Naruto cocked his head, eyes curious and expectant.

"I'm gay."

There. He'd said it. He didn't think he'd ever even said that aloud. He knew his brother knew, mostly due to him not erasing the search history on his laptop, and several of Itachi's friends knew, including one in particular he'd lost his virginity to not all that long ago.

Naruto's mouth apparently had the intention of forming words, but nothing came out.

"It's fine if you no longer want to have anything to do with me," Sasuke said.

Naruto suddenly looked baffled. "Why would I do that?"

"We're in high school. And I just told you I'm gay. After kissing you while you were wearing only a towel."

"Oh." Naruto clutched at the front of his towel. "Forgot." He shook his head. "Anyway, I don't care if you're gay, I just... didn't know. Although, that does explain some things, like... yeah." He was apparently remembering things Sasuke could only imagine. "Wait, so when you say you 'like' me, do you mean you...?"

"That... I don't know."

"But you kissed me."

Sasuke shrugged. "I was moved by your words."

Naruto started to grin goofily. "Really?"

"Really."

"But you're a really good lookin' guy, Sasuke. And popular. And smart. And your brother's cool. And you're...so funny and witty... and... good at everything you do."

"Are you trying to get me to kiss you again?" Sasuke asked, sweeping his hair to the side. "Because it's working."

Naruto blushed under his gaze. "I dunno what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, but I appeal to your discretion. This isn't something I tell everybody."

"Right." Naruto nodded. "Thank you."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

Naruto smiled. "For tellin' me. It makes me oddly happy."

Sasuke had nothing to say to that.

"But, I do have a question," Naruto said, crossing his arms. "If you 'like' me, then why the hell were you such a jerk to me today? Was it to, like, throw me off or, or did I do or say somethin' wrong that offended you? I say 'gay' a lot, but I'll try to stop. Did I say it in front of you? I dunno how this works."

"Naruto."

"Hm?"

"I didn't tell you this so that you'd worry about it. I'm fine with it, but my father is a bit old-fashioned and conservative. I'd prefer to tell my parents in my own time."

"Sure," Naruto nodded in understanding. "I won't mention it to anybody, don't worry. Although..."

"What is it?"

"Doesn't it kinda suck to have to hide who you are?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "It's not that I'm hiding. I wouldn't deny it if someone asked."

"But you've had girlfriends and stuff, right? Isn't that what Itachi said? Or, did you just realize... I'm not sure how... er."

"I've known for a while. If I dated girls it's because I got tired of them asking, and maybe because..."

"You wanted to get your dad off your back?"

Sasuke sighed. "When you say it like that, it... it's complicated."

"I'm sure," said Naruto. "I'm not judging you. And I'm sorry from before, too. About... not seein' stuff from your perspective. I have no idea what you've been through. Not just regardin' bein' a gay high school boy, but... your whole life." Something in Sasuke's facial reaction to that made Naruto smile widely. "You look like you're gonna kiss me again." He waggled his eyebrows.

Sasuke covered his face with his hand, looking away, too, out of embarrassment. "Shut up, idiot. It was a mistake."

Naruto gave him a push. "Mistake my ass. If I wasn't so surprised, I mighta actually kissed back just 'cause it doesn't happen that often."

"Yeah right." Sasuke stared at the ground, digging the toe of his shoe into the floor.

"Who knows?" said Naruto. "Maybe I swing both ways?"

"Do you?" Sasuke asked in all seriousness.

Naruto lost some of the teasing humor from his eyes. "I... never thought about it before."

Sasuke tried to squash the little flame of hope that flickered in his heart. He'd rarely imagined the possibility of truly liking another man and having them... like him back. The thing with Yahiko had been a bit of a fluke and never would've happened had alcohol not been involved, but did he like Itachi's friend, or was it just about... getting that huge step in his sexuality out of the way? Not that it hadn't been enjoyable, but Naruto was his age, and Sasuke really, truly wanted to kiss him again.

"Do me a favor," Sasuke said to him.

"What? Y'know I won't tell anyone."

"Not that. Can you..." He let his gaze sweep down Naruto's body and then up again. "...Please put some clothes on."

Naruto's laughter was loud and genuine. "I like this," he said. "I'm baffled, but I'm also really flattered. I almost think you're fuckin' with me still."

Before Sasuke could stop himself, he replied, "If I was _fucking_ with you," he tugged gently at a piece of Naruto's hair, "I think you'd know it."

Naruto cleared his throat, and Sasuke backed off in order to give him space.

"I should be careful," Naruto said quietly, the corner of his mouth twitching between a cautious smile and pensive frown, "You've got quite a bit of game. I thought I did, but maybe I've met my match."

"Maybe I've met mine," Sasuke replied in a soft voice and flashed the other boy an easy smile.

Naruto smiled in return, which, once more, filled Sasuke's head and chest with such lightness. He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up, but, yeah, the attraction was there; it had just taken Naruto's fierce, determined, very _loud_ and impassioned personality to cause him to act on it. Even if they couldn't be lovers, even if Naruto was straight, he thought they could at least be friends. For whatever unknown reason, he also felt he could trust Naruto. Naruto flirting back a little also... made him feel a bit less guilty about the dream.

"So um," Naruto said, still smiling. "If you're done perving on me, I think I'm gonna get dressed? I didn't eat yet, so I kinda wanna get down to the cafeteria before lunch ends."

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Sasuke got out of his space, snapping out of his daze. He gave one last final glance at Naruto's back before turning around and walking away.

"Hey, Sasuke!"

Sasuke stopped, looking at Naruto over his shoulder. "What is it, idiot?"

"Heh. Uh. Not like as a date or whatever, but I... maybe we could hang out this weekend? I don't wanna go through any kind of weird crap where you think I'm gonna avoid you 'cause I know and stuff. I don't think of you any differently than I did before. I still wanna get to know you. If that's okay."

Sasuke nodded. "I'll let you know if I can fit it into my schedule. As you've noticed, I'm very popular."

Naruto smirked. "Good. Then I'll see ya later, bastard. I don't need a ride home, though. Someone's offered to take me on a walking tour around some of Seattle."

"Oh," said Sasuke, feeling a slight sting of disappointment though he'd never had the intention of giving Naruto another ride home. "Who's got the patience to show someone like you around the city?"

"Sai offered yesterday and then asked again today, so I thought I'd take him up on it."

"I see."

"You're not jealous, are you?" Naruto played with the knot at the front of his towel. Sasuke wasn't sure if he was doing it on purpose, but it was definitely very distracting.

"Do you want me to be?" Sasuke asked.

"Very smooth, Sasuke." Naruto shook his head in approval. "Keep up that cocky attitude, and you'll have plenty of boyfriends in no time."

"Well, have fun with Sai. I'm sure he'll take very good care of you."

With that, he left the locker room, trying not to think that there would soon be a very naked Naruto in there, or that in a few more hours, he'd be going around town with Sai of all people. He wondered if Naruto knew that Sai was gay? Or did that just mean when it came to men, he and Sai shared tastes that were, unfortunately... very similar.


	2. Chapter 2

Later that evening, as Sasuke was doing some chemistry homework at his desk, Itachi knocked on the door, which was already open anyway.

"After this morning, I thought I would make sure I knocked from now on," he told Sasuke and strolled in, looking around the room like he'd never seen it before.

"Why," he said, "What happened this morning that you're suddenly mindful of my privacy?"

"Do we really need to have this talk, Sasuke? Boys your age start to see changes in their body and - "

Sasuke spun around in his chair. "Why are you in my room?"

Itachi was investigating one of Sasuke's newest concert tickets he'd tacked to the board near his bed. He turned and looked at him. "How's Naruto?"

He gave his brother a flat look. "Get out."

"Things not going well?"

"If you're going to talk like that can you at least shut the door?"

"Mother's in the kitchen, and Father's in the garage working on the lawn mower. Don't you think you're being paranoid?"

Sasuke sighed and shut down his laptop. "I told him."

"Hm?" Itachi took a seat on the corner of the bed. "By him, you mean Naruto? What exactly did you tell him?"

"What do you think I told him?"

"That you were seriously considering applying to clown school? Honestly, there's no shame in following your passion, Sasuke. I think Naruto would support you in your dream. He seems the type."

Sasuke got stuck on the words 'dream' and 'Naruto'.

"I see," said Itachi. "We're being serious now."

Sasuke clasped his hands together, staring down at the floor. "I basically jumped him, and when he asked for an explanation I told him that I was a big, _flaming_ homosexual."

"...Hm."

He raised his head. Itachi appeared contemplative, and there was a thoughtful, upward curve to his lips.

"That's all you have to say?" he asked his brother.

Itachi met his gaze. "What do you want me to say? I'm rather proud of you honestly. Because, for once, you acted on your feelings, and also because you were honest with him. How did he take it?"

"Surprisingly well."

"Really? He responded to your advances?"

Looking down again, he rubbed his palm across his thigh. "I kissed him, but he didn't kiss me back."

"Right."

"I don't know, I guess. We were fighting in the locker room, and we both said some things. I went after him, and he told me off. Then the next thing I knew, I was kissing him. He pushed me away after a while, but he didn't curse at me or run away... he was just really confused, I think."

"Understandable. What exactly did he say? Did he tell you that he needed time?"

"This feels ridiculous to talk to you about my gay romantic life."

"I don't see it as being particularly different than if you were straight and asking me about girls. In fact, it's easier since I know how boys your age think." Itachi played with the rubber band he used for his ponytail until he pulled it out and his hair fell across his shoulders. "I want to ask you something, Sasuke."

He nodded. "Go on."

"With Naruto, you just met him yesterday, am I correct in this?"

"Yeah. So?"

"I suppose it's important you figure out whether this is simply an infatuation, or something more. I say this for a couple of reasons. On the one hand, you're my very precious little brother." He smiled at Sasuke, who answered his affection with a very droll look. "And so, I don't want to see you get hurt. Relationships and love are already particularly difficult to navigate in high school, but adding in the fact that you're gay, I think we can both realistically acknowledge that you will encounter more setbacks than the average boy."

"You're not telling me anything I don't already know," he said, and feeling frustrated, picked up a random paperclip sitting on top of his desk. He started unbending it.

"If you're just attracted to Naruto, at least you were honest with him, and I'm very happy to hear that he didn't react... unfavorably."

"If you're asking will he take a bat to my kneecap in the parking lot tomorrow, or will I walk in and find 'faggot' spray painted across my locker then, no, I don't think he's that type."

"...I think you watch a little too many after-school specials. I had gay friends in high school, and there were no problems that I can recall. People, even kids, are much more accepting about that these days."

"No, they're not," argued Sasuke, throwing the paperclip away. "There's already an openly gay student, and he gets bullied."

"Does anyone bully you?" Itachi asked, using that very concerned voice he typically heard his parents use whenever he didn't feel like opening up to them about his day.

"Of course not," he said. "No one knows I'm gay. Except Naruto. If anyone else knows or has suspected, they haven't said anything."

"Maybe you sensed that you could open up to Naruto about it. You read people extremely well, Sasuke, and you always have. Just make sure you figure out what you want. If he's not interested, then, well, you showed him your cards. But, if you think you feel something more - "

"What more?" Sasuke asked, almost angrily. "Like you pointed out, I only met him yesterday. It couldn't have been anything more than physical attraction, what with him constantly undressing in front of me and flaunting that stupid grin of his, and those eyes. It's irritating, and he always says these things..." Heaving a frustrated sigh, he reached across the desk for the discarded and mutilated paperclip. "He pisses me off."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What things does he say?"

"He... compliments me. Freely. Who does that? Who goes up to another guy and says 'you're smart', 'you're funny', 'you're so popular and good looking, Sasuke'? And then when I tell him how stupid and naive he's being, he gets in my face and talks about how _I'm_ the one in the wrong for expecting him to have ulterior motives."

His brother simply stared at him.

"What?" he snapped.

Itachi shook his head. "Nothing. I'm surprised. I've never seen you react this way before, at least not toward... anyone besides me, I suppose."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say that as your brother," in a slightly anxious gesture that was unlike him, Itachi touched his fingers to his lips in thought, "I don't want you to get hurt because I think as you get to know Naruto more, you may realize it's more than physical. In fact, having met him, I can see you growing to like him very much."

Hearing this from his brother, knowing that Itachi had always been perceptive, was always correct in so many assumptions or analyses about human psychology and behavior - to put it frankly, Sasuke began to feel uneasy. He saw Naruto as a threat. What might happen if, for the first time in his life, he was able to fall for another man, but that man couldn't love him back? Understandable if Naruto would've punched him or called him names, but, instead, he told Sasuke he still wanted to see him and get to know him better.

Suddenly, he felt the pressure of a hand on his shoulder.

"Sasuke?" Itachi called him. "There's nothing to be scared of so long as you trust your intuition. You've put your trust in Naruto. Perhaps, it's even more than that, but let's keep it on a simpler level so that we aren't blowing it out of proportion. I can already tell you're worrying, but that's no reason to shut Naruto out. You don't know what he's thinking or feeling. You already know that he can listen to your true feelings, and he still wants to stay beside you. Am I correct?"

Dazed, Sasuke glanced up at his brother. "...I don't know."

"You do know." Itachi smiled gently at him. "Because you're my brother."

Sasuke nodded dumbly.

"The worst that can happen is that you get your heart broken. But, that's part of life. Whether you're gay or straight or anything in between."

"What's the best that can happen then?" Sasuke asked in a small voice.

"I suppose the very best that could happen is if Naruto reciprocates your feelings. Next to that, he may become your closest friend."

"Why do I feel wary about the idea of Naruto becoming my closest friend?"

Itachi placed a hand on top of his head and ruffled his hair. "Do your best. Whatever you decide, I'll always love you, and I have faith in you."

Sasuke bit his lip, his eyelashes fluttering as he lowered his gaze to his lap. "Thank you."

"However, if Naruto does fuck with you in any way, shape, or form, I guarantee you that I have no problem breaking his legs and throwing his body into the Pacific Ocean on your behalf."

Sasuke snickered, even while rubbing at his eyes. "So stupid."

"Hn, well." Itachi pet his head. "I'd do anything for my little brother. Also, stop telling Kakashi things that I tell you in confidence."

Sasuke snorted. "Why do you talk to him anyway? He's the most irresponsible teacher at the school."

"Maybe he has his reasons for always being truant."

"I don't care," said Sasuke. "It sets a poor example."

"Sasuke, I've always said to myself that I will tell you when you're being a brat, and right now, you are being a brat." Before he could argue, Itachi flicked him in the middle of his forehead, a habit of torture he'd inflicted on Sasuke from a very young age.

* * *

While at dinner, the Uchiha family sat around the table, quietly eating a meal of miso soup, rice, edamame, and a main dish of soba noodles mixed with kale, tofu, and furikake. His parents, Fugaku and Mikoto, having come from Japan at a young age, still ate with chopsticks. He and Itachi had been raised to use them, too. At least when they gathered at the dining room table. Talking while eating wasn't exactly frowned upon, but his father's very imposing demeanor tended to curb any desire for frivolity in his sons' manners. They were to be polite. They were to be grateful, thoughtful, and respectful in the way they spoke to their parents.

"This is very good, Mother," said Sasuke as he ate a piece of tofu and soba noodle.

"Do you think so?" She smiled at him. "I'm so glad. I tried something different with the dressing. I added a little more honey. I think it pairs well with the soy sauce."

"Sasuke," said his father, and Sasuke set his chopsticks on top of the bowl.

"Yes, Father?"

"How was school today? Did anything particularly exciting happen?"

Sasuke fought the urge to glance at his brother. "Nothing special," he answered. "We have a new student that arrived yesterday."

"Is that so?" Fugaku asked. "Who transfers their child so late into the school year?"

Sasuke took a sip of water before replying, "I believe his mother died recently, and his father was transferred from Chicago to here for a job."

"How terrible," said his mom. "I can't imagine how difficult that must be for that boy and his father. Is he adjusting okay? I hope you're helping him out as much as possible, Sasuke."

"Indeed," said Fugaku. "It speaks a lot of a man who can extend compassion to those who need it most."

"I had the pleasure of meeting this boy yesterday," Itachi said, entering into the conversation. "Naruto, I believe is his name. He's a very polite, very... amusing young man."

"How did you happen to meet him?" Asked their father.

"Sasuke saw that he had no ride, and he was waiting out in the rain. So, we offered to drop him off at his apartment."

"I see," said Mikoto. "They live in an apartment downtown?" She sighed. "I should prepare something for them. Who's doing the cleaning and the cooking? If I left that to your father, the house would go to pieces."

"I believe his father does all of that," said Sasuke.

"Perhaps Sasuke could invite his new friend over to the house this weekend," Itachi suggested, and Sasuke immediately shot him a look, which his brother promptly ignored.

"I don't see why not," said Fugaku.

"How hard that must be," Mikoto continued to worry. "I can't imagine if something were to happen to me or your father and either of you was left without a parent."

Sasuke stared at his mother, stricken by the mere suggestion. Compared to his father, whom he shared a tenuous relationship with even at the best of times, he was particularly close to - and very fond of - his mother. She was beautiful, kind, generous, and very sensitive to her sons' feelings, even when it came to how either of them may have felt about their conservative father. Itachi had always hid his emotions well. Before Itachi decided to go to college in California, he and their father had fought from time to time. It was Fugaku's will that Itachi go to Stanford, to study business, to always have the best grades and be exceptional at everything he attempted. Itachi, despite all this, was also very kind, open-minded, and giving. When Sasuke needed to get away, his brother often extended an invitation for him to visit. Even paying for his airline tickets (or train, that one time he'd taken it at the beginning of last June so that he could be there for Itachi's birthday). He let Sasuke hang out with his cool group of friends, many of whom welcomed Sasuke with open arms. Itachi had several gay, bisexual, and transgendered friends, so Sasuke hadn't always felt completely isolated because of his sexuality. He did, however, feel guilty for hooking up with one of his brother's close friends, but, as far as he knew, Itachi hadn't found out. He intended to keep it that way, too. Though, every now and again, that person and him exchanged texts or e-mails. More and more though, the texts were about some woman this man seemed to be falling for.

The Uchihas fell quiet again as Sasuke contemplated all these things, and then his thoughts began to drift to the possibility of having Naruto stay the night or even the weekend. He tried to ignore the excitement that swirled in his stomach, not because he was terribly afraid his parents might find out that he lusted after another boy, but...it was odd, terrifying even, to have another human being affect him in this manner. It seemed easier to try and ignore his feelings. He didn't even know _what_ feelings he might have for Naruto, and as far as he understood, any attraction that did exist was one-sided.

The fear of rejection was a very hard thing for him to willingly accept. He'd never been rejected. Maybe it was conceited to say, but it was usually him that did the rejecting.

"Something wrong, dear?" His mother asked. "Do the edamame not taste good?"

"No, Mother." Sasuke forced a smile. "They're delicious. Maybe when it gets warmer, you can plant your own in the garden."

"I know. I just can't wait for Spring! I miss my little garden. Growing herbs in the kitchen isn't nearly as fun! I like getting my hands dirty. Will you help me plant when it gets warmer?"

"Of course," he answered.

"Sasuke," Itachi said suddenly, causing him to look over at his brother. "Make sure you don't forget to ask Naruto about visiting us this weekend."

He narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure he has other plans already. Perhaps he and his dad want to do some sightseeing. Although, he was supposedly doing some sightseeing tonight."

"Oh, is that so?" Mikoto asked. "Did he already meet someone willing to show him around the city?"

"Please," said Fugaku, "I doubt a boy who's just lost his mother has dating on his mind."

"It didn't have to be a girlfriend," she replied. "Maybe just a friend. Sasuke, why didn't you volunteer? You know all those lovely little shops that we go to sometimes, and all the restaurants and bookstores. Or, you should take him to one of the concerts you go to! It would be a nice distraction for him, don't you think?"

"Boys don't want to do those types of things with other boys," said his father. "You make it sound like they're going on a date."

Sasuke, who had been about to pick up some rice with his chopsticks immediately stopped. Having lost his appetite, he set them down on top of the - half empty - bowl of noodles.

"Are you finished already?" asked his mother. "You didn't eat all of your rice."

"Sasuke mentioned he wasn't feeling well earlier," said Itachi. "Perhaps if I make him some tea after dinner. He's probably tired."

"You're not feeling well?" Fugaku gruffly asked. "Why don't you go lie down then. Don't worry about your dishes. We'll take care of it. Your brother will bring you some hot green tea once he's finished."

"Thank you, Father," he said, pushing his chair back from the table. As he stood, he bowed his head. "Thank you for the meal, Mother. Itachi." He excused himself and returned to his bedroom, where he closed the door until there was just the crack, with a tiny sliver of light coming in from the hallway. Like he always did when feeling upset, he grabbed for his MP3 player and lay down on the bed. Shutting his eyes, he wondered if Naruto was still wandering around with Sai at this hour. There were lots of things to do in Seattle. He almost wished he'd suggested taking Naruto around town. Maybe Sai would only show him the typical tourist spots. There was so much more to Seattle than that. Despite what his father had said, the idea of taking the other boy to some of his favorite haunts sounded incredibly appealing to him.

But, it was stupid to think Naruto would be interested in anything like that. He'd seen Sai make him laugh. Naruto probably had never called him a bastard or a jerk to his face. Even though he knew Sai was also gay, he couldn't see him ever forcing himself on Naruto. So, already, he had several strikes against him. Oh, also there was the fact that Naruto was straight.

He turned up the volume on his iPod.

Best not to think about it. Better to just listen to music as it was one of the few things in life that brought him genuine pleasure and allowed him to escape his thoughts, even if just for a little while.

* * *

Wednesday rolled past without much happening. Sasuke hadn't felt well most of the morning, so he'd been dragging. Not that he'd attempted a conversation in first period with him anyway, but Naruto spent the time before class speaking with a rather attractive red-headed girl who sat on the opposite side of the room. When he glanced over - only because the clock happened to be on that wall - Sasuke often caught Naruto smiling at her, even laughing. If he didn't know better, he'd say they were flirting. He couldn't complain about the girl either, as she was easily one of the nicest in their class.

That's right, Sasuke. That's how it works, he kept telling himself. It's normal for girls and boys to flirt. It's expected. He knew Naruto was off-limits, and still... he'd had hope. But, as Itachi pointed out, growing up was about getting your heart broken. He supposed an important lesson to learn was not to chase after straight boys.

Instead of going to P.E. fifth period, he decided to go to the nurse's office to lie down. As he wasn't prone to being sick, the ample-chested woman and her assistant doted on him by constantly checking his temperature and offering him juice. When they thought he was sleeping, they fell into the typical conversation that seemed to evolve between women. Apparently the younger woman - Shizune - had gone on a blind date last night that hadn't turned out very well.

"He was so rude," she explained to the older woman. "I ended up making an excuse so that I could leave right after dinner. I didn't even let him pay, I paid for half, and I just had a salad! He had the prime rib!"

"Eh?" The older woman grunted. "Why didn't you make him pay for all of it? You should've ordered the most expensive item on the menu, said you were going to the bathroom, and then left."

"I didn't want him to think I owed him," said Shizune. "Yuck. Aren't there any decent men in Seattle?"

The older woman chuckled. "Well, if I was a little younger, and," she lowered her voice further, "that boy over there was a little older."

"Tsunade," Shizune giggled. "You're bad."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned onto his other side. No wonder he didn't like women.

Not that he remembered falling asleep, but when he woke up and rolled over, he saw someone sitting on the cot next to his, and it didn't take long for him to realize it was Naruto.

"Hey," Naruto said, looking worried. "Someone said you weren't feelin' well and that you'd gone to the nurse's office."

"Clearly your source was accurate," he replied and, noticing that his mouth and throat felt dry, he went to reach for the glass of water that had been on a nearby table earlier only to find it empty.

"Here," said Naruto, picking up the glass. "I'll get it for you."

"I'm not an invalid, Naruto," he commented. "I can get my own water."

Ignoring him, Naruto went to the refrigerator, where he somehow knew there was a Britta water filter. He poured the water into the glass and brought it over to him.

Sasuke took it, their fingers overlapping briefly, but he gave no thanks. Naruto didn't seem to notice, and, instead, he returned the pitcher of water to the refrigerator.

"Where did the two nurses go?" Sasuke asked, wiping at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh. Tsunade and Shizune? You know, technically Shizune isn't a nurse. She's an assistant, I think."

"How do you know this?" he asked. "You've only been here two days."

"Well, I did visit the school before Dad and I decided to enroll me here. I met them then, and I've dropped in when I have free time to chat. Tsunade, though. Forget the fact that she's got the hugest rack I've ever seen, 'cause that woman swears like a sailor. She gives me a hard time, always nagging me about my hand." Naruto waved his bandaged hand around.

Sasuke eyed it curiously. "Yesterday you said you put it through a window. Is that true?"

"Why would I lie about that?" Naruto asked in all sincerity.

Sasuke honestly had no answer.

"Anyway, if you're like me, you probably don't like people fussin' over you. I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I was kinda worried." Naruto bit at his lip, a gesture Sasuke couldn't help but find endearing since the other boy did it solely when he was nervous or reluctant to say what's on his mind. How he knew that much in the short amount of time they'd known each other, he had no idea.

"I'm fine," he said automatically. "Just tired."

"Ah, I didn't mean I was worried about your health. I figured it was just a cold at most."

"Then what did you mean?"

Naruto sighed and folded his hands in his lap. He gave a look around the room before returning his gaze to Sasuke. "I thought, maybe because of yesterday, you were avoiding me."

Surprised, Sasuke's eyebrows drew up.

"Judging by the look you're givin' me now," Naruto said slowly. "Maybe I'm not wrong?"

"I wasn't intentionally avoiding you," Sasuke murmured. "I'm really not feeling well."

"Okay," the other boy said simply. "I feel relieved then."

"You find relief in me not feeling well?"

Naruto chuckled and glanced down at his hands. He started to crack his knuckles.

"You'll get arthritis if you keep doing that," Sasuke said absently.

"Is that really true?" Naruto asked. "I thought it was just an old wives' tale."

"I'd be the last person to ask about the tales wives tell."

"Ah. That makes me feel good, too. That you're jokin' about it."

"Better to make jokes than to curl up into a ball in a corner somewhere."

"I'd laugh," said Naruto. "But part of me thinks you're serious."

Sasuke's lips parted just a breath as he looked at Naruto, and he was hit with the most intense pang of longing. To move closer, to touch, to hold, to even kiss. To share all the thoughts he'd ever had in his life, including hopes and fears.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked.

"Nothing," he answered.

"Keep drinkin' your water. Maybe it'll make you feel better. Or should I find somethin' else? Sometimes when my stomach is upset I drink Coke. That usually helps."

"Coke won't help, idiot," muttered Sasuke. "And anyway, it's not my stomach that hurts."

"Oh." Naruto frowned. "Do you hurt somewhere else? Should I go get the nurse?"

Sasuke sighed. "You're really oblivious, aren't you?"

"I don't know what you mean." Naruto tilted his head to the side, reminding Sasuke of a cat reacting to a strange noise. "What? You're starin'."

"Sorry," Sasuke said, smiling despite the heavy feeling in his chest. "I was just thinking you reminded me of a cat. I don't know why I thought cat and not dog."

"Dog?" Naruto repeated. "I'm not sure that's a compliment. Do you have a cat at home, maybe?"

"I don't," he answered. "But my mother has been talking about getting one. My father doesn't want any pets, though. He thinks he'll be stuck taking care of it."

"I've always wanted to get a dog." Naruto dropped his hands to his sides and started playing with the bedsheet. "My mom was really allergic to them, unfortunately."

Sasuke thought in his head: Well, you could get one now. But, obviously, that was far from appropriate. And, at the moment, for whatever reason, he didn't want to ruin the mood between them by saying the wrong thing.

"I suppose I could get one now, eh?" Naruto grinned at him.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. "That's terrible."

"I know, but like you said. Better to joke about it than to curl up in a corner and cry."

"I didn't say anything about crying."

"Didn't you?" Naruto tilted his chin up, appearing thoughtful.

"Nope."

"Heh. Ah, well. I know it's awful, but I feel like I can joke about this stuff with you for some reason."

Crap. There was another _pang_. Sasuke glanced down, and like Naruto'd been doing earlier, folded his hands in his lap, clasping and unclasping his fingers.

"Sasuke?"

"Present," he said, without looking up from his lap.

"Did I say somethin' wrong?"

"Not at all." He raised his eyes. "In fact, you always seem to say the right thing."

Naruto, with those blue eyes so clear and expressive, rubbed his lips together, drawing Sasuke's gaze.

"Did you have fun with Sai last night?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, I did," Naruto answered. "Sai took me to a lotta places. I really wanted to see the wharf, and where they throw the fish? He said it was lame and touristy, but I really liked it. One of the guys let me try to catch a fish. I thought I was gonna get a black eye. The thing was so huge, its tail slapped me in the side of the face."

"Imagine that." Sasuke couldn't stop himself from smirking. "Lucky fish."

"Why you," Naruto said playfully. "Have you ever been in a fight before, Sasuke?"

"Not out of a dojo, but I wouldn't call that 'fighting.' I've... prevented my fair share of fights, but I've never had to hit anyone. Why, have you been in very many fights, Naruto?"

"A few."

"Really."

"Mm. When Mom was sick, I fell in with a different crowd. I had a good friend, and he moved shortly after Mom died, like mid-January, which really sucked. But anyway." He looked off as if trying to regain his train of thought. "We'd sneak into college parties, drink, smoke, whatever. So yeah, we got into fights on occasion. My friend always had my back, though."

"So is that what happened to your hand? Did you get in a fight?"

"I told you," Naruto said with a smirk. "I put it through a window."

"Hm."

"Don't tell me you're worried about me. Eh, Sasuke?"

Sasuke gave him an assessing look. Naruto's tone was playful, his body language relaxed, his eyes bright with humor. Part of him wanted to believe that he was flirting, but, with Naruto, it was hard to tell.

"Naruto," he said.

"Ye_s_," said Naruto, drawing out the 's' at the end like a snake hissing.

Okay. Even if Sasuke had virtually no experience at this, he wasn't so stupid not to have reasons to think, yes, Naruto is flirting with me.

"What are you doing this weekend?" He asked as casually as he could manage.

"Dunno." Naruto frowned. "I had a coupla offers."

"Oh, with that girl from first period? She's cute."

Naruto looked surprised. "How did you know?"

"I see. So she did ask you out. She's very nice. I don't say that about many girls here, but it's true."

"Really?" Naruto asked. "I trust your opinion, so it must be true."

"Obviously. Why would I lie?"

"Dunno." Naruto shrugged. "Anyway, I told her I was busy."

"Why." Sasuke frowned. "Are you going out with Sai again?"

Naruto actually laughed at him. "You're hilarious."

Sasuke's scowl deepened. "I'm so pleased I have the power to make you laugh."

"To be fair, it's a very awesome power to have over me, y'know."

"Stop flirting with me," he finally said. "It's irritating."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Sorry."

Of all the things for Naruto to say, Sasuke hadn't expected that. He'd anticipated a denial or rejection.

"So you were _flirting_ with me?" He asked boldly.

Naruto sucked on his bottom lip before answering, "I don't know."

"Uh huh. That's only... mildly confusing."

"Sorry, but... I want to be honest with you."

"Okay, so be honest with me."

"Oh, no. That was the end of my statement. Just. I want to be honest. With you."

"Right. I'm even more confused now."

"Yeah, well. So am I. You pulled that stuff yesterday and said all those things, and I'd never considered having gay feelings for a boy when I'd always thought about girls, y'know, in _those_ moments. But, I like talkin' to you. We haven't known each other, what, more than two days? But when we hang out, I like it. Even when we're fighting, it's... what's the word? I suck at this. Oh." He pointed at Sasuke. "Exhilarating?"

"I make you feel... exhilarated?" Sasuke asked.

"Is that the wrong word?"

"I have no idea what the right one is. Have you... ever been with a girl before?"

"Hm. You mean have I had sex before?"

"With a woman," he clarified. "Girl, rather. Not to assume anything, but, you know."

"Hey," said Naruto. "I might be into older women."

"You could be for all I know, but I find it hard to believe they'd be into you."

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes I've had sex. Shortly before my birthday, thank you, and she was two years older than me."

"Okay." Sasuke was surprised to feel a twinge of jealousy at this admission.

"Like I said. I went through some rough stuff, used to go to a lot of parties. Things happened. I hardly knew her. I do feel bad, though. That I never called her after that. Guess I kinda wasn't really in a place to handle it all as well as I would've liked to do."

"I think that's understandable," said Sasuke.

"I don't." Naruto turned his head to the side, frowning. "There's no excuse to treat someone like that, especially a girl. Especially one I had sex with. Maybe she liked me. I dunno. But, stuff happened, and, I think if we hadn't moved here, maybe things would've gotten worse. Although, I was startin' to hang out with this other kid named Kiba. He seemed a pretty good guy. Anyway."

Sasuke felt the topic of conversation was getting particularly heavy, and though he was happy to have Naruto sort of admit that he enjoyed his company, it was enough. For now.

"I'm thinking about something," Sasuke confessed, "But I don't know if I want to say it." He looked at Naruto, almost expectantly - as if waiting for his blessing even though he would've had no idea what the hell Sasuke was talking about.

"Yeah. Let's hear it. Since we're sharing and all."

Sasuke smirked. "That's such a you thing to say."

"Have we known each other long enough for you to know what a 'me' thing would be to say?"

He stared. Honestly. If Naruto said one more thing that made Sasuke want to jump out of this bed and kiss him, he was going to strangle the other teenager.

Naruto offered him an amused look. "Spit it out, Uchiha. Don't get shy on me now."

"You had me at 'on me now'," he mumbled and let out a deep breath.

"What was that? You're mumblin', which probably means you said something perverted, I'm sure." He was clearly joking, which Sasuke was slightly grateful for as he wasn't sure he was ready to jump into all kinds of sexual innuendo with Naruto. It could be...dangerous.

"If you aren't busy," he started to say, regaining his composure and trying to make his expression and voice as neutral as possible. "I mentioned to my parents that there was a new kid, and they practically insisted that you, if you're available, should spend the weekend...with us. At my house."

The instant he looked at Naruto's face and saw that big, stupid, goofy grin start to appear, he immediately regretted saying all that.

"Go on," Naruto said, kicking his feet against the bed.

"What? Do you want me to beg?" Sasuke practically growled.

Something mischievous flashed in Naruto's eyes. "Would that involve you getting down on your knees?"

Sasuke sucked in a breath before replying in a low voice, "If you think that would convince you."

Naruto definitely understood the meaning of this exchange. "Why me?" he asked Sasuke.

"I don't know," he answered, searching Naruto's face and feeling his heart drop at seeing a frown replace the boy's smile. "Does it... bother you so much? You can just say no about this weekend. I'll understand."

"Don't do that," Naruto said. "Don't put words in my mouth. I'm just tryin' to figure things out. Get my thoughts together." He flashed Sasuke an encouraging smile, but he thought it seemed forced, which was unfortunate. "Ask me properly first."

"Ask you...?"

"About this weekend."

"Do you... want to stay at my house this weekend?"

"Yes." Naruto nodded. "I do."

"Okay then."

"Hey boys, if you're done with your heart-warming conversation, we have other sick students who would like to use these beds."

Both of them nearly jumped about 10 feet in the air as the older nurse, seemingly arriving out of nowhere, stood at the foot of Sasuke's bed.

"Sasuke, I see that you're feeling much better," she said, touching the back of her hand to his forehead. "Naruto, don't you have class?"

"Uh, oh. Yeah." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I heard Sasuke was sick, so... I just wanted to check in on him."

"That's a very touching story, now please get out of my office because I have work to do, and before you both realize you've pissed your pants over this, I am a medical professional, so I understand the meaning of patient confidentiality."

Sasuke still couldn't speak, but he got to his feet. Naruto looked a lot calmer than he felt. Surprising the crap out of him, the other boy actually laughed.

"Fine, we're outta here. I didn't wanna stare at your ugly old mug anyway."

Tsunade cuffed him on the back of the head. "Brat," she said. "Get the hell outta here, will ya? Take your boyfriend with you."

"Tch." Naruto grabbed for Sasuke's wrist. "C'mon. She'll keep her big trap shut, don't worry. Not that anything happened," he shouted at the woman over his shoulder.

Sasuke, not knowing what else to do, simply let himself be dragged because, after all, there were two amazing things that had just occurred. One was the fact Naruto agreed to stay at his house, with him, and probably (hopefully) share his bed, and the other was... Naruto wasn't grabbing his wrist anymore. In fact, he had a hold of Sasuke by the hand, and it was honestly one of the most incredible things he'd ever experienced in his life - and they were just fucking holding hands!

God help him, he had it bad, and he knew it, and he didn't give a rat's ass about all the things that could go wrong. For now, he was truly, madly, deeply...

Fuck.

* * *

On Thursday, things felt strange. He knew some people might label him cynical - although he preferred _realistic_ \- but, he did have a habit of becoming paranoid when things felt is if they were going a little too well. Last night passed by in a blur, even if he tried to brush it off as having been tired and absolutely nothing to do with anticipation about certain events happening on the weekend. He might've casually mentioned to his parents that Naruto accepted _their_ offer to stay at the house, and as of yesterday afternoon, Naruto said he would ask his dad if it would be okay.

However, getting back to his feelings of paranoia, it was just that... the weather was extremely nice for March? The sun was out, and the temperature had to be in the lower 60s. Miraculously, their homeroom teacher arrived on time, and they'd been asked to work in pairs. Normally Sasuke would've hated that, but he'd been paired with Naruto. Possibly because Kakashi mistakenly thought it would bug him to have to work with someone who was already quickly building a reputation as a class clown. But, when they'd put their desks together, he found Naruto to be a very willing pupil. Yes, he didn't always get the basics, but when Sasuke took the time to carefully explain, he found the other boy was able to pick up the information fairly fast. Naruto was thoughtful and asked questions when he didn't understand and because Sasuke was patient with him, it worked out quite well between them. Even when they had to present their findings to the class at the end of the period, he laughed along with the rest of the students when Naruto made the occasional stupid ad-lib joke.

The only thing off-putting was when he later asked Naruto about whether he'd spoken to his dad about staying with him this weekend. Looking embarrassed, Naruto mumbled something about not having asked since he hadn't spoken with him last night. But he assured Sasuke that it would be fine, and then they both went their separate ways until fifth period.

Perhaps it was that one awkward moment that threw him off for the rest of the day. He didn't want to be dramatic, but it did occur to him maybe Naruto had changed his mind. Because, well, he was uncomfortable about spending the night with him.

After fourth period, he was on his way to the locker room following a brief conversation with one of the girls he'd "dated" last year when almost the instant he stepped inside the locker room, he could hear loud noises and shouting. Walking quickly toward the lockers, he noticed a large group of boys spilling out of one of the aisles, but couldn't exactly see what was happening - until he heard Naruto shouting a string of profanities.

"Shit," he said under his breath, knowing instinctively that if there was a fight, Naruto was at the center of it.

He pushed his way through the boys who were blocking the scene and discovered just who all the instigators were: Naruto, Sai, Dosu, and Zaku. The latter two were juniors and known for being allowed into their school because of family connections. They'd consistently caused trouble as long as Sasuke had been at this school, but, right now, Naruto had a hold of Dosu's gym shirt. Sai stood behind Naruto, and Zaku behind the other junior.

"Naruto," said Sai. "Don't worry about it. You're only going to get in trouble."

"Yeah," said Zaku, "Listen to your boyfriend, new kid. We're gonna stomp your pansy ass into the ground."

Looking pissed off, Naruto turned his attention to the other boy. "That so? You wanna see how well this is gonna work out for the both of you?"

"Tch," said Dosu. "He doesn't even know who we are."

"Like I give a shit who you are!" Naruto spat, pulling at the boy's shirt again. "Apologize to him."

"I'm not apologizing to that faggot," replied Dosu. "Most of the boys don't even want him in here."

"Oh, so you speak for everyone now?" Naruto asked, gesturing to the group. "_I_ want him here. What, do you think he wants to look at your tiny, pea-sized dick? Don't flatter yourself, douchebag."

"I bet the only reason you're defending him," said Zaku, "Is because you're just like him."

"Are you listenin' to how stupid you sound? Even if I was, who the hell cares?"

"Did you hear that?" Dosu asked in his deep, scratchy voice. "The faggots at this school are multiplying. Looks like they'll let anyone - "

That's as far as he got before Naruto punched him in the face. Instantaneously, another fight broke out, and then others were joining in, mostly trying to pull Naruto back because, unlike Dosu and Zaku, a lot of people _liked_ him. In the chaos, Sasuke got pushed to the side. Realizing he couldn't get to Naruto and Sai by going through the crowd, he went around via another aisle. Sai, though tall and skinny, was pretty well built. He was attempting to fend off Zaku from hitting Naruto, who was busy trying to rearrange the other junior's face.

Finally, Sasuke was able to get a grip on one of Zaku's arms and pull him off of Sai while one of the other boy's yanked Sai away from the fighting altogether.

Because someone grabbed hold of Naruto's shoulder, Dosu was able to land one last sucker punch.

"You motherfucker!" Naruto shouted, spitting blood onto the floor and lunging forward again. He broke free and went after Dosu until he'd shoved him up against the lockers clear on the other side of the room.

Sasuke ran after them and managed to get behind Naruto so that he could grab him around the waist. He was able to lock Naruto's arms at his sides using one of his martial arts techniques. Right as Dosu was about to punch Naruto again, Sasuke knocked the other boy out of the way and had just enough time to catch the junior's fist before it hit him.

He narrowed his eyes. "Enough."

"Fuck you, Uchiha," growled Dosu. "You saw it, didn't you? That crazy asshole attacked me."

"The hell I did," Naruto yelled from behind. "You started it by fuckin' with Sai."

"Yeah, maybe in that pussy's fantasy."

"Nice choice of words," retorted Naruto, "Considerin' you've never seen a pussy in your life!"

"Shut up, Naruto," said Sasuke.

"See, listen to Class President here. He's actually got some sense. I bet he doesn't want this dirty cocksucker up here watching us all get naked and - "

Sasuke shoved him backward into the locker. "Say one more thing, and I'll make it so that you'll never be able to use those arms of yours again."

Dosu's eyes widened in surprise. "Your father's going to hear about this."

He leaned in and spoke in a low, threatening voice. "He's not going to hear about it if I break your jaw. Now, are you going to keep your mouth shut, or would you like me to do that for you?"

"Whatever. We'll hear what the principal has to say about this."

"I'm sure the principal will be interested in both sides of the story," he replied, letting go of Dosu.

"Zaku, come on," he waved the junior over and, with only a flew glares and a flip of the middle finger, exited the locker room.

Sasuke waited until they were gone before turning around. Sai and Naruto were standing there as were about 10 other boys. They were all quiet, eyeing him with interest. He noticed that Naruto's nose was bleeding, but he wasn't sure if the blond was even aware considering it was already dripping down his chin.

Sasuke walked over to him. "Was that really necessary?"

"You heard the kinda shit he was sayin'," Naruto replied evenly. "It was worse before you even got here. Like I was gonna stand there and let him talk that way."

"This is your first week here, and you're already getting into a fight."

"So," Naruto said, crossing his arms.

"So," Sasuke replied angrily, and grabbing a nearby towel off of one of the benches, wiped it across Naruto's face and showed him the blood. "You could get expelled. You could've gotten hurt much worse, or you could've gotten someone else hurt."

"Uh, that was kinda the point," Naruto argued. "Why are you on their side?"

"Just let it go, Naruto," said Sai.

"Why do you two keep tellin' me to let it go?" Naruto asked, glaring at Sai first and then Sasuke.

Sasuke shared a look with Sai. He knew Naruto meant well, but what would be the point in beating up every single person who called them names for being gay? That was_their_ problem, not his, not Sai's.

"Get him cleaned up," Sasuke told Sai. "I'll head to the principal's office and explain the situation. Did one of them physically attack you first?"

"Zaku pushed me," said Sai. "Not hard, but Naruto's right. They started it." Some of the other boys corroborated this with nods and a "Yeah, that's what I saw."

"The rest of you, go down to the gym," he said. "It should be Kakashi teaching today, so tell him that we'll be at the principal's office."

"Sure, Sasuke," said one of them, and the group filed out of the locker room toward the stairwell.

"Wow, does everyone always listen to you and do what you say?" Naruto asked, wiping off his face.

Sasuke wasn't amused. "This was very stupid."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

He glanced at Naruto's hand and then up again. "Are you purposely trying to get yourself into trouble?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed to slits. "If you've got somethin' to say, then say it."

"Naruto," he said, trying to read him. The other boy looked a bit like a cornered animal waiting to strike. Sai must've noticed, too, because he put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto shrugged it off, though. "I don't understand either of you. How can you let those two assholes get away with talkin' like that?" He shook his head and threw the bloody towel on the floor. "I don't care. Just let me go down there and say they ran their mouths so I punched that one guy in the face. It's better I take the blame than you two gettin' in trouble for bein' involved. It's not like I've been here all that long, so what's the big deal if I get suspended or kicked out? I'll find somewhere else to go." He turned around and began to walk away, but Sasuke reached for his wrist and stopped him.

Naruto tried to pull away, but Sasuke kept a firm grip.

"Sai," he said. "Will you give me a minute to talk to Naruto. Just wait for us outside of the locker room, and we'll be right there."

Sai glanced from him to Naruto and then nodded. "Okay."

Naruto was glaring at him. When Sai left, Sasuke let go of his wrist, confident that Naruto would stay.

"Explain," said Sasuke.

"You're really bossy, y'know that? I don't like people tellin' me what to do."

"Oh." Sasuke's eyebrows drew up at Naruto's tone. "Is _that_ what happened to your hand? Did someone back home talk trash and you, losing your temper, cut your hand up while beating them to a pulp?"

"Shut up."

"Naruto," he said, taking on a gentler tone. "I won't let you get kicked out."

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter."

"Why? You hardly know me. You didn't even like me when we first met, and so what if I disappear, that's one less person who knows your secret. Who knows what kind of crap I'm gonna cause you from now on?"

To be honest, he wasn't quite sure where Naruto was coming from with all of this. He was used to Naruto being upbeat and willing to make a joke out of everything. He wasn't sure if he wanted to try to shake some sense into him, or... there was another odd urge he was having at present that was confusing in itself. He wanted to comfort him, maybe to even pull him in, but he didn't know how. Rather, he didn't even think he was capable of it, so he just stood there, thinking Naruto looked rather pathetic, like a dog that had been kicked one too many times.

"People like Zaku and Dosu," he told Naruto, "They will always exist for people like me, and for," he stopped himself, because he wasn't sure whether Naruto knew about Sai, but if he had to guess, he would say that Naruto did know.

"Yeah," Naruto answered for him, "I know about Sai. How could I not know? It was hard to act surprised when he told me about it the night we went around the city together."

Sasuke nodded. "Would you want someone else fighting your battles for you?"

"That's not what I was tryin' to do. I just think it's bullshit to gang up on someone for crap like that. What, because he's gay? Big fuckin' deal. I don't get it!"

"I'm glad you don't get it," he said. "But sometimes you have to ignore it. It just draws attention to them, and that's all they really want."

"What was I supposed to do, sit there and let my friend be attacked?"

"We're not on the streets, Naruto. This is a prestigious private school. You go to an authority figure. You turn the other cheek and be the bigger man."

Naruto lowered his head, looking to the side, and Sasuke could hear him sucking on his teeth.

"Sorry," he ended up saying. "I didn't mean to cause you any trouble. You've been nothin' but good to me, Sasuke."

"Why do you think that is?"

Naruto raised his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Did it ever occur to you that no one else was on their side? All of the other boys were behind you, trying to keep _you_ from getting hurt. Doesn't that say anything to you?"

Stubbornly, Naruto shrugged. "Dunno."

"I'm about to hit you."

"I thought you said violence doesn't solve everything," Naruto replied sarcastically.

"Fine," Sasuke said, stepping forward until the tips of their shoes nearly touched. "Then I'll kiss you."

As that had apparently been enough to stun Naruto into an uncharacteristic state of speechlessness, Sasuke gave him a nudge and a push toward the exit.

"Come on, let's go." While walking out, very briefly, Sasuke placed his hand at Naruto's lower back to keep him moving forward. "But before we go to the principal's office, why don't you stop at the nurse's office."

"Why?" asked Naruto. "I'm fine. It's not even bleedin' anymore."

"Well. Considering you're the only one bleeding, that might be something we can use to say that you were simply defending yourself."

"Are you some kind of lawyer or what?" Naruto eyed him curiously.

"No, moron. I just don't want to see you get kicked out."

"I still don't get why, though."

"That's because you're easily the most oblivious person I've ever met. Now shut up and let's go see Tsunade so that she can verify your injuries and can make a formal report to the principal. In the meantime, I'll go in and speak to him and lay out what I know of the events."

Naruto suddenly stopped, and Sasuke paused beside him.

"What did he mean when he said he was gonna tell your father?" he asked.

"My father and Dosu's father work at the same company."

"What is this, grade school?"

"It's a bluff, I'm sure. Let's worry about clearing your name first. Nothing happened, so it's fine, and even if you got kicked out because of this, I would make sure it somehow appeared in the paper that the son of a well-to-do brokerage CEO was involved with a student's suspension after issuing bigoted slurs."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Wow, you are one scary bastard."

Sasuke smirked. "Now you know why everyone always does as I say."

Naruto smirked back. "I guess so."

Once they were out in the hallway, they found Sai waiting there.

"Go with Sai to the nurse's office and then meet me at the principal's office. I'll tell him where you are and that you'll join us when Tsunade's done treating your injuries."

Sai nodded, but Naruto still stood there, looking at him.

"What?" asked Sasuke.

"Nothing," Naruto answered quickly. "Thanks for this. I'll... see you later then."

He didn't give him a reply, and while Sasuke went one way, Naruto and Sai went the other.


	3. Chapter 3

The principal of their school was not a man Sasuke particularly liked because he wasn't always the most rationally-minded adult he'd ever encountered. In fact, like Kakashi, the older man was eccentric, sarcastic, and occasionally abrasive. He often got the impression the principal was not very fond of him either, but when it came down to it, he was usually fair.

As soon as Sasuke entered the office, he saw Dosu and Zaku sitting in the chairs near the secretary's desk. Now that he was able to see them in the bright fluorescent lighting, it was clear Naruto wasn't the only one with injuries. They glared, but didn't say anything. He assumed they'd already spoken with the principal. Apparently, the secretary had been expecting him, so she waved at him to go ahead. He thanked her and, even though he'd received permission, knocked on the door. There was a gruff, indecipherable response, which he took as an acknowledgement, so Sasuke opened the door and walked inside. The principal, his wild white hair falling over both shoulders, seemed preoccupied with the paper airplane he was folding.

"Don't just stand there," said the principal. "Take a seat. I hear you were involved in preventing another fight. Unfortunately, we've run out of Good Samaritan medals so you'll have to settle for a pat on the back. Not from me, of course, so use your imagination."

Sasuke didn't reply. He kept watching the way the older man smoothed out each fold of the paper, his stark white bushy eyebrows drawn together in his preoccupation. The glasses he wore had slipped down near to the tip of his nose.

"So, tell me what happened then. It was hard to decipher what the hell those other two dimwits were sayin', and given their permanent record, I doubt I can trust anything they have to say. They told me the new boy was responsible for starting the fight."

"Sir," said Sasuke.

"I told you not to call me 'sir'. It makes me feel old."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I can feel you raising your eyebrow," the principal glanced up from his plane and narrowed his eyes. "Where is that brat anyway? He didn't run away, did he?"

"No," he answered. "I told him to go see the nurse since he was bleeding."

"Bleeding, eh? I would've pegged that kid for a scrapper. Not that the other kid looked in great shape. Unfortunately, I'm sure we'll be hearing from his father." The older man let out a sigh. He picked up the plane and showed it to Sasuke. "What do you think?"

Sasuke offered a pointed look. "About Naruto. From what I gathered, it was Dosu and Zaku that instigated the fight. Sai said he was pushed first, and then Naruto proceeded to defend both Sai and himself."

"I'm sure that's _exactly_ how it happened. But, you and I both know this school has a zero tolerance policy for violence on the premises."

"I think in this case," said Sasuke. "You should make an exception. Being new, Naruto may not have understood all of our rules yet, and given Dosu and Zaku's record of causing trouble and harassing other students, I think you'd take all that into consideration. As I see it, Naruto was simply defending a friend from further physical harm."

"I have a question," said the older man. He removed his glasses, rubbing the lenses with the front of his shirt. "Why are you so interested in whether I punish this boy? It's rare for you to speak out on anyone else's behalf."

"I don't see how that's relevant."

"Really? I took you for a smart kid. A mouthy, know-it-all, but smart nonetheless."

Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"What do you get out of this? By defending him? Depending on how you answer, you may sway my decision." The principal, with an oddly gleeful smile, steepled his fingers together after resting his elbows on top of the desk.

It might've taken some time, but Sasuke, figuring this might be the only chance to save Naruto from being expelled, decided to go with the truth.

"Because I like Naruto," he answered in an even voice.

The principal nodded. "He is a very likable fellow. To tell you the truth, I'd hate to see him go. I know what he's been through in recent months. His record from his previous school... well, let's just say I figured he wouldn't become a star student. But, after meeting with him and his father and speaking with some of my staff, we all agreed to give him a chance."

"If you understand the situation," said Sasuke. "Then what is there to consider?"

"Let's be realistic. Boys throwing punches at each other. Hell, it's normal. I did it at your age. But, this is a school with a reputation to uphold, and it's true that Dosu's father is a board member and very influential."

"Fine. Then I'll go to the newspapers and tell them that this school allows harassment of its homosexual students."

"Are you threatening me?" The principal asked, and all humor disappeared from his face.

"I wouldn't go so far as to call it a threat."

"What would you have me do then?"

Sasuke didn't have to answer because there was a sudden knock on the door, and then Naruto walked inside the office. Seeing Sasuke, he stopped, shut the door, and approached the principal's desk.

"Naruto," said the older man. "We had a pool running on how long you could last before getting yourself into trouble. I thought you'd hold out for at least a week."

"What's up with you and your staff gamblin' all the time?" Naruto asked, picking up a snowglobe from off of the desk and shaking it. "You should hear Tsunade talk about her trips to the horse track. It makes me uneasy bein' around so many unstable adults. How's a guy supposed to learn anything?"

Sasuke's jaw nearly hit the floor. So much for his plan of keeping Naruto in school.

However, instead of getting angry, the older man began to laugh.

"That woman has the worst luck, but no matter how many times I tell her to quit, she can't seem to help herself. She could've been an amazing doctor, but she said it would interfere with her gambling."

"Yeah, well," said Naruto. "She says you've got your own extracurricular activities you indulge in, eh?"

"Sh-she told you about that?"

"Sure. She always refers to you as "the pervert" instead of your real name. Heh."

The principal cleared his throat. "My name is not _the pervert_, it's Jiraiya. Principal Jiraiya to you, squirt."

"Tch. Touchy. So, what are you gonna do about me punchin' that jerk out there? I thought he'd look a lot worse, but there's hope the lump on his cheek might swell a lot more by tomorrow."

Sasuke sighed. "What was the point of me even doing this?"

Naruto turned to look at him as if he'd forgotten he was there. "I told you not to worry about it."

"Yes, because you said you didn't care whether you got expelled."

The other boy shrugged. "I _care_, but it also wasn't worth draggin' you and Sai into this."

"Naruto," said Jiraiya, his voice firm and gruff, "Sasuke was here pleading on _your_behalf. He even threatened me." He laughed. "Imagine that? Ah, kids these days."

Sasuke and Naruto shared a look. There was a flash of something in Naruto's eyes that he couldn't quite interpret, and then the boy lowered his head. Still, Sasuke could see that he was smiling about something.

"Here's the deal," said Jiraiya. "You can't get away with punching another student. I could suspend you for a week, which could coincide with spring break. However, considering everything Sasuke brought to my attention and the fact that someone like him is speaking in your defense, I'll just issue you a detention for after school today. Of course, you'll have to share it with Dosu and Zaku. I'm hoping you'll be able to restrain yourself from getting into another fight. In that case, I will suspend you."

"Really?" Naruto asked.

"Really. Those kids get away with too much as it is. Be sure to thank your friend here. I have a feelin' that if I'd punished you more than that, he would've made the next few weeks... very difficult for me."

"Ha ha, yeah. Then you wouldn't be able to fold your paper airplanes in peace." He snatched up the principal's plane and scrutinized it before throwing it Sasuke's way. It landed in his lap.

"Brat," Jiraiya grumbled. "Make sure next time you get in a fight, not to let the other guy land a punch."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault. Someone got a hold of my arm, and that bastard hit me while I was distracted."

"Sure. _And_, we will have to notify your dad."

"What?" Naruto's grin faltered. "Don't do that. He'll kill me! Or," he gave a desperate glance at Sasuke, "At least wait until after the weekend to tell him!"

"Why would I wait until after the weekend?"

"Because... he might ground me? And I...uh." He fidgeted. "Have plans."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow as he leaned back in his chair. "A date, eh? Anyone I know?"

"Tch." Naruto's cheeks turned a shade of red. "I didn't say it was a date. You old pervert."

"Well. I suppose if it's only a detention, we don't _have_ to contact your father. Considering the stress he's already under bein' the parent of a boy like you, I imagine we can call this a warning. Just this one time."

"I owe you one, old man." Naruto beamed and, walking over, picked the plane right out of Sasuke's lap, causing parts of his brain to sound warning alarms. The other boy brought the plane back to the principal, holding it out for him.

Jiraiya took it. "Now, get out of here, and don't cause me any more trouble. Also, tell your friend there to lighten up. Takes everything so damn seriously."

"Sasuke doesn't need to lighten up," Naruto argued with a pout. "He's just really loyal and smart and has his own sense of justice!"

"Naruto," said Sasuke. "You're embarrassing yourself, and I don't need you to speak for me."

"He's also lousy about compliments," Naruto murmured.

"Great," said Jiraiya, "Then you two are perfect for each other. Now, get out of my office, and don't forget to report to Kakashi after school for your detention. I'm sure he'll find something interesting for you to do." He got up from behind his desk and began shooing them out. Sasuke stood from his chair and followed Naruto through the door.

While Jiraiya remained in the doorway, he noticed Zaku and Dosu still sitting there. "You two," he snapped. "Detention after school."

"What?" They both exclaimed. "He - "

"Naruto will be there, too, even though the two of you probably deserved it. If I see you in this office one more time, I'm kickin' your spoiled butts out of this school! Now GET OUT!"

The two boys scrambled out of the office. Naruto and Sasuke left together.

"Where's Sai?" Sasuke questioned as they began walking side by side. Naruto's sneakers squeaked on the linoleum.

"Told him to go back to class and that I'd talk to him later. Uh, by the way, thanks for back there. I didn't really want you to get involved, but I appreciate it. I guess I'm not used to people goin' out of their way for me."

Sasuke studied him curiously before replying, "No problem."

"I'll be sure to ask my dad about this weekend. If we, uh, head to my locker, maybe I can get your number? So that when I find out for sure, maybe I could text you?"

"Why don't you just give me a call."

"It might be late," Naruto replied.

"I don't mind. I'm usually up pretty late." Not quite the truth. Typically, he liked to be in bed by about 10 p.m. if possible.

"Okay, cool. I'd offer to, like, buy you a drink or ice cream after school, but the whole detention thing kinda makes that difficult."

They turned through the double doors and headed up the stairs to the second floor.

"You're gonna have to show me that move you used. Where I practically lost all feeling in my arms?"

Sasuke cleared his throat. The act of willingly putting his arms around Naruto and their bodies being in such close proximity... could prove to be a very bad idea, so he just replied with a noncommittal, "Maybe."

He followed Naruto to his locker (which was, indeed, very close to the girls' locker room). While he waited, Naruto fished out his mobile phone from his backpack. Sasuke took it from him and entered his cell number.

"You didn't give me a fake number, did you?" Naruto asked, smirking at him as he put his phone back.

"I guess you'll find out when you call," he responded placidly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"So, um. In case I can still spend the night at your place, should I bring my stuff with me to school tomorrow and we go together? Or should I have my dad drop me off?"

"That's up to you," he said. "Of course, we can have Itachi take us home after school, or... we can do some things around the city first, and then take the bus to my house. I live a ways out of the city. Maybe a half hour."

"Hmm. I'll leave it to you. We can talk about it later, too. Whatever you decide is fine with me." He smiled widely at Sasuke.

"You're very agreeable, aren't you."

"I like to go with the flow is all. Plus, I imagine someone like you knows some pretty cool places to go, but it's not like we can't do that some other time."

"True. Now that we know you aren't going anywhere." Before he could stop himself, he reached for a piece of Naruto's hair and tugged it. Although, the instant he realized what he was doing, he quickly withdrew his hand. "Uh, sorry."

Naruto shook his head. "No big deal. I don't mind. I think I'll try to make it to what's left of sixth period. Then I'll give you a call later tonight."

"Okay." Sasuke started to bite his lip.

"You still want me to come, right?"

He smirked. "Did you really have to phrase it that way?"

"You noticed?" Naruto grinned and gave him a nudge in the arm. "I like givin' you a hard time. Ah wait, I did it again!"

"Idiot."

"So, I'll talk to you later. I gotta go this way," he hoiked a thumb over his shoulder.

"And I have to go this way." Sasuke pointed in the opposite direction.

Naruto lingered a little longer.

"What?" he asked. "I thought you were going."

Naruto frowned. "I'm goin'. Don't rush me."

"Do you have something to say?"

"It's... nothin." He gave a wave, turned on his heel, and walked away at a fast pace down the hallway.

Blinking, Sasuke watched him go. What the hell was that all about?

Thinking about it, he didn't understand exactly how Naruto and Jiraiya had already formed the sort of bond that allowed Naruto such lenience. Nonetheless, he did feel very grateful for it. The idea of Naruto leaving after being here only a few days, especially when the cause involved defending a gay kid from being harassed - it didn't sit right with him. Not just because of his own feelings for Naruto, but as the other boy mentioned, maybe Sasuke did have his own sense of justice.

He only hoped that Naruto wouldn't cause another fight during detention. Not that he was a betting man, but he figured the odds were something close to 50/50.

xxx

It was around 9.50 that night when his cell phone finally rang. He'd already been nodding off, so when he answered, his voice was gruff and agitated.

"Sasuke?"

"Speaking," he replied.

"Did I wake you? I thought you said you stayed up late."

He sat up in bed, against the headboard. "No, it's fine... I was just resting my eyes."

"Hm. Alright."

"So, how did detention go? Did you put anyone into a coma?"

Naruto chuckled on the other end, a sound that was oddly pleasing to him.

"No," said Naruto. "I figured after all the trouble you went to, I could at least do you the favor of behaving myself."

"You? Behave? Is that even possible?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds all sexual."

Sasuke let that slide. "What did your dad say?"

"About my detention?"

He nearly slapped his forehead. "No, about you spending the weekend with me."

"Um, well. That's kinda complicated, but in the end, he eventually agreed. He'll probably be happy to get me out of his hair for the weekend."

Sasuke remembered what Naruto said about not having spoken to his father last night. Now he had to wonder. "Are you and your father fighting?"

"Er. Not right now?" He sighed. "But, yeah. We've been fightin' a lot over the past few months."

"I see. I suppose it's a good thing Jiraiya didn't contact him."

"I told him," said Naruto. "I didn't feel like lyin' about the detention. He was pissed and wanted to ground me, but then he apparently felt guilty about keepin' me from hangin' out with my new friend."

"New friend?" He smirked. "Who might that be?"

"Sai, of course. Didn't I tell you that I'm ditchin' you for him?"

"Which one of you shall I exact my revenge upon first then I wonder?"

Naruto laughed again, and Sasuke felt his heart skip a beat.

"You're very possessive," Naruto pointed out. "I think I can be friends with you _and_Sai."

"You're assuming Sai only wants to be friends. I imagine he may want more."

"Why? Do all gay guys lust after every boy they come across?"

"Only the attractive, self-righteous kind that enjoy going around punching other people like a savage."

"Wait. Are you flirtin' with me or insultin' me because I'm not sure right now."

"Maybe both," he answered, sliding his fingers across his lips.

There was a slight gap of silence on Naruto's side.

He cleared his throat. "Did you decide what you wanted to do tomorrow? Shall I give you my own tour, or do you want to come directly here?"

Naruto gave a yawn. "Dunno. What do you wanna do?"

_Kiss you. Hold your hand. Share the same bed with you and hear your voice, all gruff and low like now, in person._

"Bring your stuff. I'll show you a few places, maybe we'll get pizza, and then we can take the bus to my house."

"Sounds good," said Naruto.

"By the way, how's your nose?"

"Heh. Fine. Thanks for askin'. Were you impressed with my fightin' skills?"

"Why, did you orchestrate the whole thing in order to impress me with your manliness?"

"Yeah right."

"A boy can dream," he said dryly.

"You're totally gonna grope me when we share a bed, aren't you?"

Sasuke sniggered. "Who says we're sharing a bed? We do have an extra room, although we use it for an office, so there's just a futon. I suppose there's the downstairs couch, as well. Or, you could sleep with Itachi."

"Itachi is pretty hot."

"Blasphemous," said Sasuke. "I hate to tell you this, but he's definitely into women no matter how charmed by you he may be."

"Itachi thinks I'm charming?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "You sound a little too pleased by that."

"See," said Naruto. "Possessive."

"Whatever. Why don't you go to bed. You're awfully full of yourself tonight."

"Again, interesting phrasing," said Naruto. "Maybe I'm just sexually frustrated. I suppose there's still time to jerk off before bed."

"Will this be happening before or after you get off the phone with me?"

"Pervert. I'll be sure to send you a picture if I do."

"If that's a threat, it's a terribly good one that I am very open to."

Naruto chuckled. "I'm gonna bring my chastity belt tomorrow."

"Typically chastity belts are worn by those who still maintain their chastity."

"Then maybe you should wear yours, eh?"

Sasuke bit his lip first before replying, "You're assuming I have any to guard."

There was a slight pause before Naruto asked: "Really? Wait. Did you have sex with one of those girls you dated? Hm. But, you're gay, right? How does that work?"

"Well, if I'm gay, it typically means I'm sexually interested in other men."

"But... who? Someone at our school? Is that why you don't like Sai? You two got it on, didn't you? That explains a lot."

Sasuke sucked on his teeth. "No, you moron. Just because we're both gay and go to the same school doesn't mean we want to bone each other. Sai's hardly my type."

"You don't have to bite my head off. I was just curious. You're gonna have to tell me tomorrow. I really can't think of anyone, but now I'm curious to know what kind of guy you'd be interested in."

"It's a little weird for you to be so curious about my first sexual encounter."

"It's not weird," Naruto defended with a huff. "I just wanna make sure he's a guy I deem worthy of you."

"Uh huh." He began to smile.

"Shut up. I'm goin' to bed."

"Not going to have that wank, after all?"

"Yes! I'm gonna have many, many wanks, and I won't even be thinkin' about your first time or who it was with and how they probably weren't good enough for you!"

"Sure. Whatever you say, Naruto."

Naruto let out an angry noise of frustration, and Sasuke had to pull the phone away because he kept laughing.

"Goodnight," he said to Naruto.

"Night, bastard," Naruto growled and hung up on him.

Amused, Sasuke put his phone on the nightstand after making sure his alarm was set. He lay down in bed and placed his hand on top of his chest, just thinking. Of course, then he couldn't help but start imagining if Naruto really was going to jerk off after talking with him. He rolled over onto his side. It kind of felt wrong to think about it when he really did want to be Naruto's friend. Maybe he should make some attempt at controlling this physical attraction he couldn't seem to shake.

It was possible, though. That if Naruto _was_ to get off right now, Sasuke _might_ be able to imagine himself entering into the other teenager's thoughts at least once or twice. Maybe not at the beginning or end, but, perhaps, somewhere in the middle?

Great. Now he couldn't get his mind off of it, and, only being 16, it didn't take very long for his body to begin reacting to the image - first of Naruto jerking himself off, and then... the idea of Naruto allowing him to do it for him.

"Dammit, Naruto," he murmured, and reaching for the side table drawer made sure he had a couple of Kleenex on hand for what he was about to do. 

* * *

Who knew that being a part of a locker room brawl could cause someone's popularity to skyrocket exponentially? For most of Friday, Sasuke wasn't able to get Naruto alone at all thanks to his new-found groupies. Girls were constantly surrounding him, and during P.E., all the boys - especially the varsity baseball players - wanted to ask Naruto to repeat the story of what had happened yesterday. The stories sometimes differentiated, but after hearing it for the 20th time, even Sasuke was getting irritated.

He wasn't too bothered about not being able to talk to Naruto. In fact, he was happy to be running around the track by himself. Every time Naruto caught up to him, he brought along all of his followers, so Sasuke sped up to get away from them all.

It wasn't until they'd returned to the locker room that, as he was getting dressed, Naruto cowered at his feet, mumbling something about needing a place to hide.

"I'm not your bodyguard," Sasuke told him while pulling on his undershirt. Naruto watched him as he applied some more deodorant.

"It's been non-stop today. If I'd have known it was gonna be this big of a deal, I might not have punched the guy so many times."

"Well, at least the mob is on your side."

"I know." Naruto sighed. "To be honest, I'm lookin' forward to goin' out with you tonight. Just the two of us. I want my personal space back."

Sasuke began buttoning his other shirt, but he gave Naruto a long look. He had his knees drawn to his chest and arms wrapped around his legs.

"Wasn't it you that criticized me for being unhappy even when I'm so 'popular', as you put it?"

Naruto scowled. "Well, that was before I knew that bein' popular was so much responsibility!"

"You're ridiculous," he said, opening one of the longer lockers to pull out his blazer.

"So, when are y'gonna tell me who it is, huh? If I guess, will you tell me? It's that one kid in homeroom, right? In the back corner. He's got longer hair and hardly ever says anything, but he's got a really pretty face?"

"I don't even know who you're talking about," he replied.

"I'm gonna get it out of you by the time this weekend is over."

"Are you going to wear your P.E. uniform all day?"

"Maybe," Naruto said sarcastically. "Maybe I'll just hide here for the rest of my life."

Sasuke crouched in front of him. "If you go to your classes, I'll reward you later."

Naruto slowly started to grin in that goofy way he did sometimes. "Yeah? Promise?"

"I promise," he said sweetly, and then, dropping his smile, hit Naruto on the side of the head. "Now get your ass dressed and go to class."

"Ow!" cried Naruto. "That's domestic abuse!"

"Hn. Hardly. We aren't in a domestic partnership."

"Yeah, but I bet you wish we were."

Sasuke glared.

"What? I was just kiddin'." Naruto rubbed at the spot where Sasuke hit him.

"Yes, that's the problem."

Naruto gave him a funny look. "You're crabby today. I can tell."

"I am not _crabby_."

"You are."

Sasuke stood up. "After seventh period, I'll meet you at your locker, and we'll go from there."

"Mmkay." Naruto pulled himself up, too. He leaned against the lockers, staring at Sasuke as if he had something to say.

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow. "What?"

"I like your hair that way." He seemed to be studying it, and when he tried to touch it, Sasuke smacked his hand. "God, you're so violent today!"

"You're annoying."

"Show me how to do it later. I want mine to stick up all spiky like that, too."

Sasuke shook his head. "Be less annoying by the time I see you next."

"You ask the impossible!" Naruto shouted as he began walking away. 

* * *

After seventh period, Sasuke got detained by the teacher, so by the time he arrived at Naruto's locker, the other boy had his overstuffed backpack on his shoulder and was leaning there casually. As soon as he spotted Sasuke, he smiled.

"Yo," he held up a hand. "You're late."

"Sorry, I got held up."

"Sure, whatever," Naruto said, feigning that he was offended. Sasuke thought he looked kind of adorable when he pouted.

"Are you ready? We'll have to take the bus. I hope you didn't pack too much stuff. It's going to be a pain if it's heavy."

"I'm fine," said Naruto. "But thanks for worryin' about me."

"I wasn't that worried," Sasuke muttered. He grabbed for Naruto's elbow. "Come along then."

Naruto followed and they fell into an easy conversation. Naruto, as usual, did most of the talking, but Sasuke slid in a few comments here and there. Several of their classmates asked where they were going - apparently still finding it odd that they were hanging out together - and Naruto did a lot of the answering for them. One or two girls asked if they could join, but Naruto, very politely, told them they had an appointment to get to but they could all do something next week. When they made it to the bus stop, Sasuke was eyeing Naruto closely.

Naruto caught him in the act. "What?"

"Nothing."

"I doubt it's 'nothing'."

"You've become very popular in your first week here."

"And you said hangin' out with you wouldn't cause my popularity to soar." Naruto smirked at him.

Sasuke smirked back. "I'm fairly sure it had nothing to do with me. You're a bit of a novelty."

"How do you mean?"

"A lot of the students that go to our school are very affluent. They're not used to someone like you, who stands up for others and isn't afraid to get violent."

"Hm. When you put it that way, kinda makes me seem like a circus freak."

"Freak, maybe," replied Sasuke. "But I doubt even the circus would take you."

"Harsh." Naruto frowned, and Sasuke sensed maybe he'd teased a little too much.

He watched Naruto sulk for a while before he slid over and ruffled the hair at the back of his head. "Still want me to teach you how to style your hair so that the girls will fall all over you?"

Naruto sent him a side-long glare. Sasuke fought the urge to grab hold of his face and kiss away his frown.

"Where are we goin'?" asked Naruto.

"A record store. I have something I want to get, and they have booths where you can listen to stuff. A lot of it's the old, original vinyls."

"You really like music, huh?"

"I do."

"Maybe you should do somethin' with that."

"Maybe I will." Sasuke tilted his head and smiled at him.

The 11 bus toward downtown arrived, and Sasuke bought their tickets. They made their way to the back and sat down. It wasn't too packed. Maybe only 10 other people were riding with them.

"You didn't have to buy mine."

"You can buy the next ones," said Sasuke. "I imagine it would've taken a while for you to dig through your bag to find your wallet."

"True," Naruto agreed.

Having let Naruto take the window seat, the blond boy spent a lot of time staring out the window at the passing scenery. Occasionally, he asked Sasuke a question about this or that building, which he, very patiently, gave an answer to all of them. They weren't headed very far, just a little under four miles. When they were almost to their stop, Sasuke pushed the button and tugged at Naruto's blazer. "This is ours," he said.

Naruto nodded and, when the bus came to a stop, followed after him. The record store was only a few blocks away. When they arrived and opened the door, a bell jingled above their heads. Since he knew what he was looking for, he went his own way.

"Feel free to have a look around," he said to Naruto. "I've got to speak with the owner."

"Sure." Naruto waved him off and started browsing through all of the records.

The shop, which had been in this neighborhood for over 20 years, was run by an older woman. She was probably in her late 60s by now, and he'd been coming here since he was little, thanks to Itachi. Often, she would sit behind the counter, smoking a pipe. The occasional cat wandered around the store since the older woman had many. There was the distinct smell of incense, among other things, wafting through the air. Posters and handbills from old concerts hung on the wall, and music continuously piped through the speakers. Fugazi's "Waiting Room" was playing. There were lots of people browsing since it was a pretty popular place to be for the hardcore punk and rock crowd.

He greeted the woman behind the counter.

"Ah, Sasuke. You've come to get your order, I take it?" Like usual, she was smoking a long, skinny pipe. "I had to go to a lot of trouble to find it, you know. Called three different shops. You just had to have this one, did you?"

"Thank you for going through the trouble," he said politely.

"Hmph. Well. It wasn't _that_ much trouble." She reached under the counter for the packaged vinyl and handed it to him. "There you are, dear."

"It was $30, wasn't it?" He asked, retrieving his wallet from his back pocket.

"What's that?"

Sasuke jumped as he turned and found Naruto practically on top of him.

"Hold this." He handed the record to Naruto and paid the old woman.

"Hello," Naruto said to her. "This is a great shop you have."

"Thank you, young man." She smoked her pipe. "Sasuke's a regular here, so make sure he shows you around. Stay as long as you like."

"Thanks a lot," he said. "We will!"

After paying and putting his wallet away, Sasuke made to take the record from Naruto, but the other boy said he was fine carrying it and that he wanted to see the booths. The booths were downstairs, and they were the product of two red British phone booths welded and designed to fit together. There were four booths altogether, two on one side of the downstairs room and two on the other. Not that he was going to tell Naruto, but they were usually occupied by couples who often engaged in more activities than listening to music. Luckily, as they went down the steps, three of the booths were free. He brought Naruto into one with the intention of showing him how it works so that he could have his own, but when Sasuke was about to step out, Naruto pulled at his sleeve.

"Where are you goin'? I thought we were gonna listen to the record you got."

Sasuke blinked at him. "Don't you want your own booth? It's kind of cramped in here."

"It's not that bad. I wanna listen to the record with you."

"If you want," he replied, shutting the door and sitting down on one of the benches. "You probably haven't heard of them."

"Don't mind. I'm curious about the kinda music you like enough to pay that much money for it."

"Apparently I'm going through a 1970s English punk rock phase," Sasuke remarked and, carefully, began taking out the Buzzcocks' album, "Love Bites" from the packaging.

Naruto was busy looking at all the different handbills taped up in the booth, a lot of which were promotional items for Sex Pistols' albums, LPs, and concerts.

"This is weird for me," Naruto said suddenly. "I never would've pegged you for someone into punk music. Although, maybe the hairstyle should've given it away?" He glanced up at Sasuke, who was in the process of putting on the record. He set the needle down onto the vinyl.

"It's probably because you've only ever seen me in the school uniform."

As the first track, "Real World," began to play, Sasuke took a seat on the bench beside Naruto. Since the other boy's backpack was just sitting there, he gently placed it on the floor in the corner.

"That could be," said Naruto, pulling one of his legs up and hugging it to his chest. He was listening with his head cocked. "It's also the fact that you're very quiet and serious. Shouldn't people into punk be, y'know, burnin' shit down?"

"Probably." Sasuke looked at him and smirked.

"There is a whole other very scary side of you, isn't there? That's how you control everyone else. They're too scared not to do what you say."

"You never do what I say," he replied.

Naruto laughed. "I'm that special exception."

"You're definitely special alright." He leaned his head against the wall, smirking still. He heard Naruto sigh in what sounded to be contentment. "Having a good time?"

"Yeah, this is cool. I never got to do stuff like this back home. Is this what people do when they live in a big city?"

"You're from Chicago."

"I'm from _around_ Chicago. There's a difference. I'm actually from a town called Joliet. It's about an hour south of the city."

"Makes sense. You aren't stuck up like a lot of city people can be."

"Thanks?" As Naruto relaxed more, he leaned into Sasuke and let their arms touch. "Do y'have a favorite song of theirs?"

"I like the next one. It's taken from a line in _Guys and Dolls_. It's called 'Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)'."

"Hey, Sasuke?" Naruto asked lazily. "Have you ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't've?"

Sasuke's eyes opened, and he turned to look at the other boy. Naruto's head rested against the wall, he had his eyes shut, and his fingers were tapping over the top of his knee. His blond bangs lay scattered across his forehead, and Sasuke found himself following the line of his neck until it reached the open shirt collar.

"I wonder," he said in a quiet voice.

"I don't think I've been in love before," Naruto continued. "I've thought some girls were cute and havin' sex would be fine, but it would be interesting to have a real connection, wouldn't it? I suppose that's somethin' that happens when you get older. I don't much believe in high school romances to be honest."

Sasuke sucked in a breath, unable to decide if those words hurt somehow or gave him hope, but then he was left to think of the notion outside of himself and Naruto. Love? What did he think of love? He'd never been _in love_. Lust maybe. He shared Naruto's thoughts in that he'd never had expectations of romance while in high school. High school was merely a preliminary step toward college and, eventually, a job he would probably loathe. He'd understood for a while that his father was putting him on a track similar to what he'd done with Itachi. More than _love_ \- and from a philosophical perspective he understood people's attachment to the concept - companionship seemed a much more appealing aspect of a real relationship. Or, well. A companion that he could also share an intimate relationship would be even more ideal, but that, he supposed, would go hand-in-hand, wouldn't it? At what point in his life would he crave love? Or would it just be affection?

"Naruto," he said. "Is love really that important?"

"I think so? They seem to make a big deal out of it in books and movies."

"Is it a priority for you to find someone who'll love you?"

"Priority?" Naruto's eyes snapped open, and he glanced at Sasuke. "Not right now, but maybe one day. Yeah, I'd like to end up with someone I can love, who'll also love me. Preferably as I am. Girls, from what I've seen, seem to have this idea that they can change stuff about guys that they don't like. But, girls have a lotta flaws, too, but as a guy, you'd never point them out, right?"

"You're asking me for dating advice on girls?"

"Well," said Naruto. "You _have_ dated girls apparently. I haven't even done that much except maybe this one girl in sixth grade."

"Then let me phrase it this way." He looked at Naruto very seriously. "Beyond the physical, what are qualities you'd like your partner to have?"

"Hm." Naruto tilted his head up and studied the ceiling. "I guess nice. Funny, but not_as_ funny as me 'cause I wanna be the funny one." He chuckled at his own joke. "Smart, too. I think it's fair to say I'll never be a rocket scientist, so I guess I'd like her" - Sasuke cringed inwardly at the use of the gendered pronoun - "to be intelligent. Book smart, maybe. Or, like how you know all this stuff about music. I think that'd be cool. I dunno what else. Outgoing? I don't think I'd be into wallflowers. Um. Generous toward people that have less than she does. Good with kids. Maybe a bit sassy. I think I'd like someone who put me in my place. Ah, and since I don't have one, she should have a serious streak. Like, be able to get things done. Sometimes I start stuff but have a hard time finishing. Like, I wanted to learn to play guitar once, but I couldn't even sit through the first lesson. Know what I mean?"

"No, because I did take lessons and can play the guitar."

Naruto sat up straight, his foot dropping to the floor. "Really?"

"Sure."

"Can you play anything else?" Naruto asked eagerly.

"My mother had me take piano lessons, so I can play piano and keyboard, guitar, electric guitar, and a bit of bass." He frowned. "Though I'm not very good at it yet, I don't think. I'd like to learn drums, too. My brother has a friend who keeps saying he'll teach me."

"Shit. That's pretty fuckin' cool, Sasuke." Naruto nudged him with an elbow. "You realize if you were into girls, they would be all over you if they knew you could play so many instruments."

"Why wouldn't boys be into me, too?" He asked.

"Ah hah. Maybe they would be. You're right." Naruto suddenly crossed his arms. "But wait, I don't like the idea of someone who's into musicians goin' after you. That's the easy type, right? How will you find someone that's good enough for you if they only want you for your music?"

"Right," Sasuke said drolly. "As a man I would be totally opposed to other men who would willingly go to bed with me because I'm a musician."

"It can't _always_ be about sex, can it?" Naruto asked.

"If it's not about sex," said Sasuke, "What is it about then?"

"You'd think I'd agree with you, but hearing you say it... just makes me feel sad." Again, Naruto closed his eyes. His lips were pursed, and then he rubbed them together. Every time Sasuke saw him do it, he felt an inclination to kiss him. Unfortunately, that urge was hitting him fairly frequently whenever he was in Naruto's company.

For a moment, he stopped to think about all the qualities Naruto looked for in a partner and how many applied to him. What is it Naruto imagined when he thought of someone he wanted to be with? Evidently, he was thinking of a woman. She would have to be kind. She would have to be patient in order to put up with Naruto's stupidity and juvenile manner. She would have to be somewhat flexible considering Naruto's spontaneity. Wouldn't she need to be as easy going as Naruto? Sasuke knew he was capable of going with the flow, but he also could have a temper. Then again, so could Naruto. It struck him that if they were older, maybe if they'd met in college or even after, there could've been something romantic between them.

But, they were in high school and the possibility felt very implausible and unrealistic. It hurt, and he didn't really want to think about it. He tried to forget the attraction, which in the past few days, had become more than physical for him. He was starting to like Naruto and that felt dangerous. He should close off and remember that Naruto was very straight. If he wanted to keep the other boy as a friend, he would need to be very careful not to scare him off.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Naruto's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

He'd closed his eyes at some point again, and when he opened them, they stung - though he attributed it to the odd lighting in the booth. The record was on the fifth song already (there were only 11 tracks).

"How do you feel about finding an arcade and playing some video games for a while?" Sasuke asked, his voice having grown hoarse.

"Um, I think that sounds amazing?"

"Then we can grab dinner and go home."

Naruto smiled brightly at him. "I'd like that."

"Is that a generous and kind enough offer for you?" Sasuke asked and got up to remove the record from the player.

"What do you mean?" asked Naruto.

Sasuke sighed as he slipped the whole album into its protective covering so that it wouldn't get damaged while they walked around. The arcade was about 10 blocks north of here.

"You have the memory of a goldfish," Sasuke said to him.

"Oh. I see what you did there. About what I said with the whole ideal type thing."

Ignoring the blond, Sasuke picked up his backpack for him and handed it over.

"Thanks," Naruto said absently. "This was fun."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Are you sure there's nothin' wrong?" Naruto asked, touching the top of his arm.

Sasuke, unable to help himself, shrugged off his hand. He hadn't meant to, but his mood had definitely taken turn for the worse. Feeling unexpectedly claustrophobic, he pushed open the door and stepped out. Naruto followed him and, thankfully, didn't ask any further questions.

Once they were outside, he felt better now that he could breathe in some fresh air. He took pleasure in smelling the scent of the ocean coming from the Puget Sound. The area they were walking in was referred to as First Hill. Downtown Seattle, basically. As they continued, he tried to make up for before by pointing out a few landmarks and giving Naruto a brief history of the different parts of the city and what type of people lived where. Fremont was home to the artsy crowd, Capitol Hill had a good night life (and was quite gay-friendly). Naruto listened and was attentive, asking questions here and there. Despite what he'd thought earlier about disengaging, he couldn't fight the thought that Naruto was extremely easy to talk to. He made Sasuke laugh and occasionally made him see things from a different perspective. Naruto didn't talk a whole lot about himself, and Sasuke had never been the type to pry, but he remained curious about Naruto's hand, the trouble he'd gotten into at his old school, and this kid Gaara he'd referred to a few times. He wanted to ask things about Naruto's mom, but he also felt insecure and didn't want to upset him. He figured Naruto might open up about it in time. It was unusual, he had to say, that he'd never before wanted to learn about another person, but the more time he spent with Naruto, the more he felt he wanted to know. Likes, dislikes. Hopes, dreams, fears, deep dark secrets. And he saw it every instance when he happened to look at Naruto. Every expression he wore, whether laughing or scowling or angry - it always did strange things to his chest.

But, still. It was hopeless to get too attached, so best to keep his guard up and put distance between them, at least literally. He made sure they walked far enough apart on the sidewalk that their arms never brushed. Or, that eye contact didn't last any longer than a handful of seconds because, really, Naruto's eyes were so fucking abnormally _blue_.

If he were to date a boy. A boy that he liked and liked him in return. And they went on a date.

He hoped it would feel and be...just like this. 

* * *

After the arcade, Sasuke was in a much better mood, mostly because Naruto was so much worse at games than him. Maybe if he went up against anyone else, he might've stood a chance, but Sasuke had been playing video games from the day he came out of the womb. When he wasn't studying or listening to music, he was downstairs on whatever newest platform had just come out. He often had part-time jobs during the summer, so he would save up and spend it on gaming. Itachi bought him a lot of games, too. Typically, his father frowned on it, but then Sasuke just had to point out it was part of their Asian heritage (his father never found this as funny as his mother and brother did).

They walked for a while along the main roads. He had a pizza place in mind, but they needed to go south again for several blocks.

"Why don't you let me carry your backpack for a while?" Sasuke offered.

"I'm fine."

"You're awfully quiet. Are you being a sore loser?"

"No."

So he said, but Naruto was definitely sulking.

"Will it make you feel better if I buy you dinner?"

For a second, Naruto's eyes lit up, but then he went back to scowling. "I can't let you do that."

"It's not as if I'll be expecting anything later if I buy," he teased. "Unless you're offering."

"You really _are_ sexually frustrated, aren't you?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke frowned. "It was just a joke."

"I know, sorry. I'm really pissed off that you're so good at everything. It's really annoying, no offense."

"How could I possibly take offense to that?"

"Oh, true. Heh."

Sasuke stopped, and when Naruto nearly stumbled trying to stop with him, he quickly snatched his backpack off of his shoulder and began carrying it for him. "Consider it my duty," he said. "As a representative of our class's student council and you being here on a baseball scholarship, you should take better care of your shoulders."

"You don't even know what position I play," said Naruto, trying to regain possession of his bag.

"Stop it," Sasuke said firmly and put his arms through the straps. "Okay, I'll bite. Are you a pitcher or catcher, Naruto?" He smirked to himself, knowing the other boy wouldn't get it, but at least it was amusing to him.

"Huh? There are more positions than that."

"I bet there are," Sasuke said under his breath.

"Anyway, but I do pitch some. Though I don't expect to be doin' that here with so many good varsity players. I play first, too, short-stop. I bet they'll stick me in right field. Assuming I won't get benched for the first year."

"It's good to be versatile."

"I think so."

Sasuke snuck a glance at Naruto. Totally clueless, but, ah, so fun.

"So, tell me about this pizza place. Y'know, there are some amazing pizza places in Chicago. Have you ever had deep dish?"

"I don't think so," he answered.

"That's too bad. Although, any kind of pizza is good."

"I know. I remember you saying so on your first day here. Pasta, pizza, and... Asian food I believe?"

"You have a good memory."

"Have you ever had traditional Japanese food?"

"Nope. I don't think I've had anything except sushi. I guess I was thinkin' Chinese or Thai. Not that I'm opposed to Japanese, there's just not a lot of restaurants near where I was."

"Hm. I don't want to push it on you, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm Japanese. My parents are traditionalists, I'd say, so my mother typically cooks Japanese meals. I'm not saying that's all we have, but if you were interested, I'm sure she could be swayed to make you something."

"Wow, really? I don't want her to go to any trouble. Your family is already lettin' me stay the weekend. I don't wanna impose too much."

"I think she'd be thrilled, honestly. She enjoys cooking. Cooking and gardening."

"That's funny. I kinda like to garden. We had one at my old house, and I used to plant stuff with Mom before she got sick. Herbs and vegetables mostly, but I kinda liked when we'd plant flowers, too. I like how bright they are."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're not gay?"

Naruto laughed out loud. "You'd be the first person I'd tell."

Sasuke nearly stumbled. "Why's that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No, it's not. Not to me anyway."

"I just meant that since you're gay, and if I was gay...? Then again, I'd like to think you'd have better taste than me. And you did say earlier that just 'cause the both of us are gay and go to the same school, doesn't mean we'd want to bone each other."

"Are you purposely provoking me right now?" asked Sasuke.

"Wuddaya mean?"

Sasuke sighed and rubbed at his temple. "Let's talk about pizza. What kind of toppings do you prefer? They have a variety, but I'm guessing that you might be conservative with what you like."

"I dunno about conservative, but I like sausage and pepperoni and whatever. I dunno if I like too many weird cheeses."

"Weird cheeses?"

Naruto smiled. "Sure. Anything besides cheddar and mozzarella."

"Mm. I see. Well, they have that, too. It's one of the better places in town. My brother's taken me several times."

"You and Itachi seem close."

"Do we?" he asked absently.

"I think it'd be cool to have a brother I was close to. It kinda sucks bein' an only child."

"Well, I'm not your brother, but I am taking you, so don't whine in my company."

Naruto sniffed. "I wasn't whinin'. Okay, maybe a little. It is nice. I'm glad I met you. Although, Sai did take me around, too. He really wanted me to go to the museums and stuff, but I only like them if there are dinosaurs or mummies."

"I'm pretty sure they do have dinosaurs and mummies at the city museum."

"Then I guess I'll have to go out with him again and let him take me."

The line of Sasuke's mouth thinned considerably. "Do what you want."

"Aw, are you pouting, Sasuke? Fine, I'll go with you to the museum."

"You're annoying. You make it seem like you're purposely trying to make me jealous."

"So what if I was?"

Sasuke paused mid-step. Naruto took a few more steps before he stopped and turned around.

"Are you being serious right now?" Sasuke asked.

"Not serious enough for you to have _that_ expression."

He shook his head and began walking again. His temper was on the rise, but he didn't want to lose his cool. It wasn't worth it. But, he couldn't tell what annoyed him more - the roller coaster of emotions he kept experiencing, or the fact that he couldn't discern whether sometimes Naruto was knowingly... leading him on. Naruto caught up with him, but must have deemed it unsafe to open his mouth, which was fine with Sasuke. It wasn't a whole lot longer before they arrived at Primo. Even though it was early, it was a Friday night, so they had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. They looked over the menu - Naruto took a long while to decide - and eventually agreed to get the Sausage, Pepper, and Mushroom since it didn't contain any "weird cheeses".

While they waited, Naruto talked a little bit about his old school, including some things about Gaara.

"So, in the end, we ended up gettin' off with a warning," is how he finished his story where, apparently, Gaara stole a neighbor's motorcycle, picked up Naruto for a joyride, and then they were pulled over by the police.

"I didn't realize I was hanging out with a thug in training."

"I'm not a thug!" Naruto practically shouted.

"Yes you are. You're a school skipping thug that steals people's motorcycles and nearly gets arrested." Sasuke smirked as he stirred his straw inside his glass of water.

"Shut up. I don't wanna hear this from you."

"Someone has to tell you."

"Yes, well your honesty is so not appreciated." Naruto took a sip of his Coke while glaring at him.

"It's not on your list of partner qualifications?"

"Oh, are you still goin' on about that?"

"I can't help it. I'm amused. Personally, I would want to be with someone who's honest. Maybe not as candidly as me. I think I'd prefer someone - "

"With more tact?" Naruto finished for him.

It was Sasuke's turn to glare.

"_I_ have tact," said Naruto. "Sometimes."

"Yes, but I can't date you because you're straight."

Naruto looked like he had something to say, but he kept quiet. Unusual for him, really.

"Does that hurt your feelings?" Sasuke asked.

"Not really. I dunno. Kinda? Is that strange? I know I like girls, but when you say it that way, I feel like I'm being rejected."

"You are full of mixed signals, you realize this, right?"

"What do you mean?" Naruto leaned forward, setting his elbows on the edge of the table.

Thankfully, he didn't have to explain because the pizza arrived. Naruto, who was apparently famished, nearly devoured his three pieces in all of about five minutes. Sasuke ate more slowly.

"Maybe you really could be in the circus," Sasuke mused. "You can be a geek."

"That's rude," said Naruto. "I'm not a geek!"

"No, moron. A geek is someone in one of those sideshows that eats all kinds of strange objects, or, you know, bites the heads off of chickens."

"Kind of like what Ozzie did with that bat?"

Sasuke blinked at him in surprise. "Yes. A lot like that. Remind me to give you a gold star when we get home."

"When you say it like that, makes us sound as if we're livin' together."

He finished his last slice and pushed his plate to the side. "Are you ready?" He checked his watch. "I think the next bus comes in about 15 minutes. We'll have to make a couple of transfers."

"Okay. I'll follow you."

He waved the waitress down and, despite Naruto's protests, Sasuke paid for the both of them. Then he picked up Naruto's backpack again and led him to the closest bus stop.

"Let me buy our bus tickets," said Naruto.

"Okay."

"Oh, good. I thought you'd keep puttin' up a fight."

"However, I do have a bus pass, you know. So, technically, you only have to pay for yourself."

"Crap. How am I supposed to pay you back then?"

"You can pay me back by not worrying about it and if you stop talking about it like it's a big deal. If we go out again, you can pay."

"Sorry," said Naruto. He scuffed the bottom of his shoe across the pavement. "I told you I'm not used to other people doin' things for me."

"Who are you," asked Sasuke, "Oliver Twist? Although, even he wasn't afraid to ask for more."

"Heh. That's about the only line I know from that book." He smiled at Sasuke.

Sasuke smiled back. "Me, too."

Naruto laughed, one of those loud, genuine laughs that caused the corner of his eyes to wrinkle. It was already dark. The streetlight next to them caused a shadow to cut across Naruto's cheek. After he was finished laughing, he shared a look with Sasuke. His gaze was clear, analytical, and intense.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know."

"Alright."

"I haven't laughed this much in a while," said Naruto. "It feels good."

"Good. I'm glad."

"Do other people at school know that you're a good person? I know they think you're cool and that you always have the best grades, but do you show them this side, too?"

"What side?" He asked, his voice quiet.

Naruto rubbed his lips together.

"Stop it," he said.

"Stop what?" Naruto asked innocently.

"Rubbing your lips together."

"Oh." He put his fingers to his lips. "I didn't realize I was doin' it. Must be a nervous habit."

"Why? Do I make you nervous?"

Naruto took a few seconds before replying, "Sometimes."

"That's not my intention," he said quickly.

"I know. It's not anything you do. Not purposely anyway."

He raised an eyebrow, not knowing what that meant, but Naruto also didn't bother to elaborate.

"That's our bus," said Sasuke.

Naruto looked over his shoulder and then back again. "It'll be good to sit down for a while. I'm kinda tired."

"It's probably been a long week for you," Sasuke remarked.

Naruto stared at him, lips parted and eyes slightly wide.

"Why do you keep staring at me like that?" He had to ask.

Naruto shook his head. "Uh, it's nothin'. Just... Nevermind. How much am I gonna need?"

"Altogether? Probably about $13 if you show them your student ID."

"Okay. I'll, um, need to get it from my backpack."

"Okay." Sasuke turned around so that Naruto could get at the zippers.

While Naruto was unzipping things, he spoke softly, and his breath ghosted across the back of Sasuke's neck. "Are you sure you don't want me to take the bag?"

"No," he said. "You keep carrying the album."

"Alright. ...Thanks again."

"Don't mention it."

Naruto touched his shoulder and turned him around. He had another one of those odd looks on his face. He was obviously thinking something, but it was a certain something he didn't want to share, or given that it was Naruto, maybe he couldn't put it into words.

Sasuke smirked, though he felt anxious. The tension was even getting to him, so he cracked a joke. "You look like you're going to kiss me."

Naruto's eyes narrowed the slightest bit, and his gaze remained focused. "...Would that be a bad thing?"

He didn't know what to say. From the other boy's tone, he could tell he was being serious, which... threw him off considerably. Instead, since the bus had pulled up to the stop and opened its door, he walked past Naruto while muttering, "We better get on."

With his mind racing, he stepped onto the bus, barely remembering to flash the driver his pass. He did stop to make sure Naruto had the right amount of cash and asked for the same ticket that he had. Afterward, Sasuke proceeded to the back like before with Naruto following silently behind him. Again, he offered Naruto the window seat, and Sasuke sat beside him. There was another empty seat to his right, so he placed Naruto's backpack there. Naruto kept the record in his lap as he stared out the window.

Eventually, Naruto mumbled something he almost didn't catch: "I had a good time today."

Curious as to why he was being so subdued, Sasuke glanced over at him. He was still staring out the window, but Sasuke could see his reflection in the glass. Maybe it was that he was tired, but Naruto looked... conflicted? Contemplative?

"I have my iPod with me if you want it," he offered.

"I'm good," Naruto replied. "I just wanna watch out the window."

"Okay."

He turned and looked at Sasuke; Sasuke met his gaze without wavering (although it was a very difficult task). Whatever Naruto was trying to say with his eyes, he wasn't entirely sure, but he had a strong desire to grab for his hand. It was dark, too. No one would've even noticed, but he was sure that it would freak Naruto out. When Sasuke said nothing, Naruto returned to looking out the window.

"I'm tired," he mentioned, his breath fogging up a very small spot on the glass.

"Alright." _I'll take care of you,_ is what he wanted to add. He couldn't not stare at Naruto. He wanted... so badly... to touch him. To comfort him somehow even if he didn't know what was going on inside the other boy's head.

Every once in a while, when the bus hit a bump, their legs or shoulders would knock together - until their arms stayed touching all the way to the first transfer. The contact made him feel light-headed, near to giddy, and like his skin was tingling everywhere. He knew his heart rate had sped up, and his palms had become so sweaty he kept inconspicuously having to rub his palms across his pants.

Fucking hell, he thought. If it was this bad just sitting next to each other on the bus, what was it going to be like if they slept in the same bed together?


	4. Chapter 4

By the time they arrived at Sasuke's house - after having to walk about 10 minutes from the closest bus stop to the gated community where he lived - it was nearing 9 o'clock. Evidently, both of them were tired. Naruto had run out of things to say about 15 minutes ago and was basically dragging at his side.

"Do you need a piggyback ride up the stairs?" He asked Naruto.

"I dunno how you make this commute twice a day. It sucks."

"Did you not get enough sleep last night? That's what happens when you stay up late."

"You were up late, too, weren't you?"

"Not really," he said. "I was about to fall asleep by the time you called."

"Oh." Naruto frowned. "Sorry. I thought you said you usually stay up?"

"Stop apologizing so much, idiot."

"Sorry, I get all apologetic and start to ramble when I'm tired. Ah, crap. I said 'sorry' again, didn't I?"

Sasuke shook his head. He almost felt bad for him. They were walking up the driveway. Naruto, apparently looking at the house for the first time, tripped over his own feet when he saw the size of it. The neighborhood was full of nice houses, and his wasn't even especially great in comparison.

"You live here?" Naruto asked.

"Not by myself," he replied sarcastically. "But, yes. This is my home. You can live in a big house when you're not living in the middle of the city."

"Ah, is that how it works? Smartass."

Sasuke noticed Itachi's car wasn't in the driveway. His parents typically parked in the garage. Although they'd offered to buy him one for his 16th birthday, it seemed a waste since he was fine riding the bus, and if he really needed to take a car, he could always borrow his mom's.

He gave Naruto an encouraging push as they went up the stairs. The lights were on in the entranceway, and the door was unlocked, so he led the way inside.

"Just make sure to take off your shoes," Sasuke told him as he removed his and set them on a low shelf on the floor.

For some reason, Naruto thought it would be okay to put a hand on his shoulder for balance while he took off his sneakers.

Sasuke glanced up at him from his crouched position. "Really?"

"What? I'd fall over otherwise. Let me take my backpack already. I don't want your parents to see you carryin' it for me. They're gonna think I'm a wuss."

"I doubt they'll care," he said, and, speaking of, his mother appeared, having presumably come from the kitchen.

"Hello, boys," she said, greeting them both with a big smile. "You must've been having a lot of fun. You're home late."

His mother had her long hair let loose about her shoulders, and she was wearing a shimmery navy dress that came down to her knees and an ivory-colored cardigan.

"Mother," he said. "This is Naruto."

Naruto stood up and the instant he saw Sasuke's mom, he burst into a grin and stepped toward her.

"Oh wow, Sasuke. Your mom is..."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him.

"Beautiful," Naruto finished. "I was gonna say beautiful."

"Why thank you, Naruto," said Mikoto. "That's very kind. A woman my age always likes to hear these things. Especially from handsome young men."

Naruto pointed at himself, looking surprised. "Me? Handsome?"

Mikoto laughed and touched a hand to her cheek. "I've never seen such bright blond hair."

"Ah," said Naruto. "My dad's hair is even lighter if you can believe it."

"Well he must be a very handsome gentleman, as well. I hope he didn't mind you coming here on such short notice?"

"Uh." Naruto scratched the side of his cheek. "Nah. I think he was happy that I'd been able to make friends already." Knowingly, he smirked at Sasuke.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He would've had a comeback, but he didn't want to be a dick in front of his mother.

"Well, don't let your friend stand there, Sasuke. Show him to your room. Sasuke said he'd be taking you to dinner. Did you two boys eat?"

Naruto and Mikoto were walking side by side. Sasuke fell behind them, still carrying Naruto's backpack.

"We went to a place called Primo's?" said Naruto. "They had really awesome pizza. We also went to a record store and the arcade. It was pretty fun, but I can't believe Sasuke goes back and forth on the bus like that every day."

"He's so stubborn about letting us buy him a car. Do you have a car, Naruto?"

"Nah. I figured since we were movin' downtown, I would never really need one. Dad has one, though." He peered behind at Sasuke. "Why don't you wanna car? Wouldn't it be easier for you?"

"How is that any of your business?"

"Sasuke," scolded his mother. "Is that how you talk to a guest?"

"It's just Naruto," he replied, smirking a little. Naruto looked behind again and caught it. He smirked back.

"Yeah, Sasuke. So mean."

Sasuke hoped his eyes were promising swift death.

"Where's father?" he asked when they passed the empty living room.

"Your father is working late tonight. He probably won't be home for another hour," said Mikoto. When they reached the end of the hallway, she opened Sasuke's door for them. "I tidied up a little, but just your sheets. Don't worry. I didn't invade your privacy. I know how you hate when I go through your things."

"I think anyone would hate that," Sasuke remarked, flipping on the lights and tossing Naruto's bag onto the bed.

"Thanks for going to the trouble," Naruto told her.

Sasuke would never have pegged him as a suck up, but the other boy was laying it on pretty thick. He had a hard time keeping from laughing.

"Well, I'll let you two settle in. Itachi's out with some friends. If you come out in a bit, I'll make you some tea."

"Thanks a lot," said Naruto. "Tea sounds good."

"Alright, I'll leave you alone then." After she left the room, she shut the door.

Sasuke took a seat on the edge of the bed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were hitting on my mother."

Naruto chuckled. He immediately started snooping about the room, picking up photo frames - not that there were many - and seemed to be drawn to Sasuke's collection of concert tickets. There were a couple of photos tacked to the board, too, of him with some local band people. Maybe a few of him from the rare occasion that he played on stage somewhere. Naruto unpinned one of these and studied it closely.

"What's this from?" Naruto asked, showing it to him.

"There's a place downtown that has an amateur night. I play every once in a while, usually with a band in need of an extra guitar player."

"You're not in your school uniform here," he pointed as if Sasuke couldn't see it. "You look really cool."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "...Thank you?"

He didn't know if he looked "cool," but he was only wearing dark jeans, a shirt, and his hair was styled differently than Naruto had probably ever seen. Naruto put it back where he'd found it and wandered around some more. There were a few trophies on Sasuke's bookshelf from various martial arts competitions. He had some for track, too. There were academic medals, as well, but, really, in comparison to all the trophies and medals Itachi had collected by his age, it was nothing.

"I always like seein' someone's room for the first time," Naruto mumbled. "It's like seein' a whole new side of a person. Even though I know you like music, and I know you're athletic, and you always have the top scores."

"You have your good points, too," said Sasuke. "Like my mom said. You have really blond hair."

"Ha ha." Naruto turned to him. "_I_ have good points."

"You do," he agreed.

"No sarcasm, huh? I wonder if I should be worried."

"Do you need to let your dad know you're here?"

Naruto shrugged. "Meh. He'll figure it out."

"Are you two really not getting along?" He asked as Naruto took a seat beside him on the bed.

"It's hard to explain." Naruto bit his lip and glanced down at his hands in his lap. "I dunno. It's just for the past few months, I get angry every time I see him."

Sasuke nodded. "...Because of your mother?"

"Yeah."

"Do you... want to talk about it?"

Naruto glanced up, attempting a smile. "Not really."

"Okay." He wanted to add that if Naruto ever did want to talk about it, he'd be willing to listen, but those words felt awkward. He was lousy at giving comfort. It would've been embarrassing to even attempt it, and he figured that Naruto would bring it up if he wanted to discuss it.

"Your mom seems really nice," said Naruto. "You're lucky."

"I think so." He studied the other boy's profile, and figuring he needed to be distracted, Sasuke gave his thigh a quick pat and stood up. "How about we have some tea, and you can take a shower if you want. If you're that tired, we can watch a movie, or you can go to bed."

"I'm fine," Naruto said, but he really did look exhausted. "Sorry I'm not much fun right now. Usually I'm all about sleepovers, but I'm really wiped."

"How about I go get the tea for you and bring it in? We have hot chocolate, too, if you'd prefer."

"Really?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Sure." Sasuke smiled at him. "Do you need anything else while I'm up?"

"A hug?" Naruto grinned widely, his eyes filled with humor again.

"Don't push it," said Sasuke, and doing something his brother had always done to him, he leaned in and flicked Naruto in the forehead.

"Ow!" Naruto rubbed at the spot. "What was that for?"

"Don't break anything while I'm gone. I'll be right back. Bathroom's across the hall, by the way."

"Ah, good idea. I'll go do that!"

Sasuke left him on his own and proceeded down the hallway and into the kitchen. His mother was just putting the kettle on.

"Naruto's tired," he said. "Is it okay if I bring him some hot chocolate instead?"

"Oh, of course. I'll get it for you, dear." She went through the cabinets and found a packet of Swiss Miss, but she also had some Earl Grey out for him. "Is he not feeling well? Does he need anything else?"

"He's fine," Sasuke answered. "I think he was happy to meet you."

"I feel so bad for him, Sasuke. He seems like such a sweet kid, and to have lost his mom. Maybe it's maternal instinct, but I can't help but want to hug him. Has he spoken about it with you at all?"

"Not really." He swept his hair to the side. "I think he needs to, but you know I'm not very good with that."

Mikoto put a hand on her son's shoulder. "I don't know why you say that. I think you're very sensitive. You're also an intelligent young boy, so I'm sure you'll figure out how to get him to open up. It might be nice for him to be able to get away like this. We'll let him take it easy here and rest."

Sasuke smiled at his mother and without saying anything, wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"What's this for?" She asked, sounding surprised.

He cupped the back of her head and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Because."

Mikoto took hold of Sasuke's face. "I really am proud of the man you're becoming. You and Itachi both. I couldn't ask for better sons."

"Hey."

They both looked toward the kitchen entrance and saw Naruto standing in the doorway.

"I didn't mean to interrupt," he said. "I felt bad you two were doin' all the work in here."

"It's okay," said Mikoto. "I was just telling Sasuke how happy I am that you two are friends and that you're spending the weekend with us."

"Thanks again for lettin' me stay," Naruto said, stepping into the kitchen. He'd taken off his blazer and loosened up his tie. He must've run some water through his hair in the bathroom because it was sticking up in the front. Personally, Sasuke thought he looked incredibly attractive, but it was an odd thought to have when he was still in his mother's arms. He let her go and went to lean against the counter. Naruto decided to lean against the counter on the other side.

"How are you enjoying the school so far, Naruto?" asked Mikoto as she took out a couple of mugs from the upper cabinets.

"Uh, I like it a lot. Everyone's been pretty friendly. The teachers and administrative staff are... interesting." He smiled.

"That's good to hear. I imagine it's somewhat tough for a boy your age to have to relocate and change schools."

"Yeah. I miss some of my old friends, but my best friend had just moved away, too. And, y'know. Dad and I figured we needed a fresh start. He got a job with a company near the harbor? He does some maintenance and consultation stuff with a business that sells luxury boats and all that. He's got a couple degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering." Naruto shrugged. "Those genes must skip a generation, though, 'cause I didn't end up with his smarts."

Sasuke snorted. "I'll say."

Mikoto reached over and smacked her son on the back of the head. "I'm sure he's very smart. He certainly has better manners than you do."

He heard Naruto laugh and sent a glare his way. The tea kettle began to whistle, so his mom took it off the stove and began pouring their drinks. She didn't make any for herself.

"Is there anything special you'd like to have for breakfast tomorrow?" Mikoto asked.

"Uh. I don't want you to go to any trouble."

"It's no trouble," said Sasuke. "We always have breakfast."

"Hm. I like pancakes? But, I like anything mostly."

"That reminds me. Hey Mom?" asked Sasuke.

"Yes?" She handed him his tea and then gave the hot chocolate to Naruto.

"Naruto says he's interested in trying Japanese food. Maybe you can make something for him tomorrow?"

"Really?" Mikoto looked very pleased. "I'd love to make you something. Do you know what you like?"

Naruto held his mug in both hands. "Not really. Like I told Sasuke, I've only ever had sushi, but I'd be happy with anything you make."

Mikoto stepped closer. "Let me see. Usually I can tell what kind of food people will like. Hm." She studied Naruto intently while Naruto stared back at her, a crooked smile present on his face. "Do you like noodles?"

"I think? I like pasta."

"What kind of pasta?"

"I dunno. The kind with meat in it?"

"So, noodles and meat. We could have a soup, maybe."

"I bet he'd like ramen," suggested Sasuke. "You like fast food, don't you?"

"Yeah. Who doesn't?"

"Then you'll like ramen. Not the instant kind, but they sell it at street stalls in Japan."

"Ramen?" Mikoto hummed. "We haven't had that in ages. Sasuke used to love it when he was little. He liked the fishcake that came on top of it. Didn't you, dear?"

Sasuke crossed his arms. "I don't remember this."

Naruto laughed at him. "Funny. It's hard to imagine Sasuke as a little kid. I bet he was hard to handle."

"Actually, Sasuke was a very good boy. He would always run after his older brother and come and tattle on him when Itachi didn't have time to play."

"Mother," said Sasuke. "Naruto doesn't want to hear about this."

"Sure I do," chirped Naruto. "Tell me more."

"Yeah, so you can use it for blackmail purposes," he remarked. "I think we're ready to go back to my room."

"What, but the party's just gettin' started."

If his mother wasn't standing there, he would've gone over there and popped him one.

"Okay. You two feel free to sleep in and let me know when you'd like some breakfast," said Mikoto.

"Thanks for the hot chocolate!" Naruto shouted as Sasuke began pushing him toward the doorway.

"You're such an idiot," Sasuke admonished him as they walked down the hallway.

"I like learnin' stories about you. Maybe she'll let me go through some of the family photo albums tomorrow."

"And maybe you'll wake up in the morning with both of your arms missing," he said, giving Naruto another push through the bedroom doorway.

"So violent," said Naruto. "You're gonna make me spill my drink." He settled onto the bed, crawling to the middle while he held onto the mug.

Sasuke sat on the bed, too, but closer to the headboard so he had somewhere to set his drink.

"This has been a good day," Naruto said. "I put your record on your dresser, by the way. Didn't know where you wanted it."

Sasuke glanced that way. "It's fine there. The record player's in a cabinet downstairs."

"Now I kinda wish we had one."

"I don't think they're terribly expensive. This is an older one my father got me from an antique shop and then fixed up for me."

"Wow, that was nice of him. Does your dad usually work late?"

"Usually," he answered.

"Mine too. That's why it's been kinda nice that you and Sai have been findin' stuff for me to do. Otherwise I'd just be goin' home to an empty apartment."

About to sip at his tea, he stopped and looked at Naruto.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Any time you don't want to go home, we can always find something to do. There's lots more to see of the city. Whether it's me or Sai or someone else."

"Someone else?"

"Sure. That girl who asked you out."

"Oh." Naruto frowned. "Almost forgot."

"Wow. I bet she'd be thrilled to hear that."

Naruto shook his head. "No, I know. I've been preoccupied with other stuff, I guess."

"Yeah, like nearly being expelled from school your first week here."

"And thanks to you, I won't be." Naruto leaned forward and pat Sasuke on his shin.

Sasuke kicked his hand away. "I hardly had to do anything. I didn't realize you were so chummy with the principal."

"Eh, I think he knew my dad somehow. That might be the reason we ended up visiting the school in the first place."

"Hm."

"So."

"Yes?"

"Is it alright if I get into my pj's?"

Sasuke's eyebrow lifted. "You need my permission for that?"

"Well, I'm just sayin' that I don't have a lotta energy for anything else."

"It's fine. If you want to hang up your uniform, you can put it in the closet," said Sasuke.

"Okay. Thanks. Do you mind?" He handed his mug to Sasuke, who took it from him and placed it on the nightstand.

Naruto bounced off the bed and began undoing his tie, which he set on the desk chair, and then, right in front of Sasuke, started to unbutton his shirt, which he also placed over the back of the chair. When he was only wearing the white undershirt and pants, Naruto grabbed his backpack. While searching through it, he hummed what sounded to be a commercial jingle for a local furniture store and began pulling out some things, including a pair of green sweatpants.

Not that he was leering, but Sasuke did let his eyes rove over Naruto's well-defined arms and toned chest. He had a very athletic build. Broad in the shoulders, slim waist. The muscles of his arms weren't _too_ big, but he definitely must work out. He wondered if pitchers had to really build up their arm strength.

In the meantime, Naruto unbuttoned his pants and slipped them off, revealing a pair of white and blue checkered boxer shorts. Sasuke had seen him in a state of undress before, obviously. He'd even seen Naruto in a towel, but... now he was in Sasuke's bedroom. Honestly, it was a bit like watching a striptease. The other boy didn't seem to notice. He did wonder how Naruto would react to getting undressed in front of him like this, but obviously he didn't seem to care. Maybe he was just used to it.

Except, then Naruto suddenly looked up, just as he was about to take off his shirt.

"Enjoying the show?" He asked Sasuke, offering a surprisingly cool smirk.

"I'm getting what I paid for, I suppose," he replied.

"It's nothin' you haven't seen before."

"Unless you're intending on sleeping naked."

Naruto chuckled as he slipped off his shirt. Shamelessly, Sasuke continued to watch.

"I can sleep naked," said Naruto as he grabbed for his pajama pants, "But I think you'd regret it."

Doubtful. "How's that?" he asked.

"I tend to move around a lot when I'm sleepin'. You might think it'd be enjoyable to sleep next to a naked man, but not when he spends most of the night steam rollin' over you."

"Man?" Sasuke repeated. "Who is this man you speak of?"

"Jerk. Don't I look like a man to you?" He gestured toward his stomach.

"What do your abs have to do with being a man?"

"Stuff," Naruto replied and went over to the closet to remove a couple of hangers for his shirt and pants. He closed the door when he was done, came back over to the bed, and crawled on top of the comforter. "Well, here I am. Have your way with me."

"If I was going to have my way with you, why would you put _more_ clothes on?"

"They're just pants," Naruto said with a grin.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You're not my type."

"No?" Naruto pouted. "Fine, then tell me who _is_ your type. Tell me who it was you, y'know, got with."

"Who I got with?" he repeated while reaching for Naruto's hot chocolate to give back to him.

Naruto took it with a thanks. "Yeah. You didn't say. Was it someone from school?"

"How is this your business."

"I told you about my first time!"

Sasuke sighed. "What does it matter if he went to our school or not?"

"Because, then I'll go find him and judge whether he was worthy of bein' your first time," Naruto replied in all seriousness.

Sasuke shook his head. "You're ridiculous. That's not for you to decide."

"Uh, yeah. If it's someone who's a big douchebag, then I'm gonna have to rethink how perfect I think you are."

"I'm far from perfect, Naruto."

Naruto crossed his legs underneath him. "No? Your mom seems to think so."

"That's what moms do," he let slip out before catching his mistake.

Naruto's smile faltered a bit. "True."

Sasuke cleared his throat. "I think I'll change, too." He got up from the bed. Normally he'd just sleep in his underwear, but he supposed that wouldn't be appropriate with Naruto lying next to him all night. If it was up to him, he'd put on enough layers that he could pass for an Eskimo. That may prove to be too conspicuous, however. He went to his dresser and picked out a t-shirt and pair of boxers. When he turned around, he noticed Naruto had changed his position on the bed and was now leaning against the headboard, the blankets drawn up to his lap.

"Are you that tired?" he asked as he pulled the knot out of his tie.

"M'not too tired, but I felt like gettin' under the covers. Your bed's bigger than mine."

"They say size doesn't matter," Sasuke teased while undoing the buttons of his shirt.

"Very funny. I'm confident in my friend's attributes, don't worry."

"I'm not worried about it at all," he replied easily and slipped off his shirt. "Why would I even think about it?" He was smirking as he went to hang the shirt, and as he was undoing the fastening on his pants, happened to glance over at Naruto. "What?"

"You've... really never thought about it?"

Sasuke stared at him. "Never thought about what?"

"Nothin'. Nevermind."

"Don't do that. If you have something to say, then say it."

"Well, I mean. You like guys. I'm a guy. Do I just... not even exist on your radar?"

Perplexed, Sasuke could only blink at him. "... You're asking me this while I'm about to take off my pants?"

"Seems a good time to ask to me."

Pants halfway undone and shirtless, Sasuke, forgetting himself, walked to the foot of the bed. "What is it you're asking exactly?"

Briefly, Naruto's gaze traveled down and then up again. "It's not _that_ big of a deal. I was just curious as to whether you think I'm attractive. I mean. Objectively."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"You won't hurt my feelings if you say no," Naruto added.

Sasuke had never wanted to smack someone around so much as he did now.

"You're really an idiot," he said.

"Fine." Naruto scowled at him and crossed his arms. "Forget I asked."

"I'll try." Turning his back to him, he went to retrieve his boxers, and slipped off his pants. He pulled on the pair of shorts, but thought it almost felt like if he turned around, he would've caught Naruto staring. When he did finally turn around, Naruto was, indeed, looking at him.

"What?" Sasuke asked, beginning to feel uncomfortable. "Do you need something?"

"On a scale of 1 to 10. Am I really that unattractive?"

Sasuke put his knee up on the edge of the bed, grabbed for one of the pillows, and hit Naruto in the face with it. Then, he hit him a few more times until the other boy took hold of the sides and snatched it out of his hands. He shuffled lower under the sheet and rolled to his side, making like he was cuddling with the pillow.

"This one's mine now," he said to Sasuke.

"Just don't slobber on it," Sasuke replied. "And definitely don't try to hump it."

"I'm not gonna hump your pillow, Sasuke." Naruto chuckled as he propped his head on his hand. "However, I can't guarantee there won't be the occasional mid-sleep boner. Just roll me over if I get too close."

"Or, maybe I'll take advantage of you. Since I'm so gay and all."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Is this 'cause I asked you if you, in any way, could let me know that I'm physically tolerable?"

"You already know you're _at least_ physically tolerable. So far, the cutest girl in our class has asked you out, and Sai seems to follow you around like a puppy dog. Obviously you're someone who appeals to both genders."

"But not to you."

Sasuke got into bed, checking his phone first before turning it off. "Will you shut up if I answer your question?"

"Yes. I think so."

"Fine." He looked at Naruto seriously and said, "I find you attractive, yes. Happy now?"

Not that Naruto need reply since he burst into an obnoxiously big grin that only annoyed Sasuke further.

"Are you really that insecure?" Sasuke asked him.

Naruto shrugged. "Not really, but I was curious as to whether you thought I was hot or not."

"That's annoying."

"Yeah, but I really wanted to know, and it bothered me even more that you wouldn't tell me. I'm straight, but I can tell you that you're an attractive guy."

The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched. "Why are we talking about this?"

"Isn't this what two guys talk about when they're at a sleepover?"

"We're not kids, you know."

"As you pointed out earlier, we're not men either."

"Your point?"

Again, Naruto shrugged. "Don't have one. I guess I'm just curious about you."

"Why?"

"Uh. Because I like you? And I find you interesting?"

Sasuke grumbled. "I think I'll go turn the light off now."

"But you just got into bed."

"Well, I need to brush my teeth."

"Sasuke," Naruto taunted in a flirtatious tone. "Are you gonna try and make out with me when you come back? 'Cause you find me so attractive and all?"

He grit his teeth. "I'm about two seconds away from punching you."

Naruto started biting his lip to keep from laughing.

Sasuke got up and went into the bathroom, where he gripped the edge of the sink and stared at himself in the mirror. Naruto was... really pushing his buttons with these questions. Was he doing it on purpose? Could any one person be that oblivious? This was... almost cruel. Not that Naruto knew how Sasuke felt about him, but still. Then again, Naruto had all the symptoms of a possible inferiority complex, so maybe he was just looking for a bit of ego feeding, thinking that Sasuke would never have any interest in him that way?

After he brushed his teeth, he slapped some water on his face and ran his hand through his hair. When he returned to the bedroom, Naruto had already passed out, but somehow managed to roll across so that he lay partially on Sasuke's side of the bed.

"Dammit Naruto," he murmured, feeling an odd sense of deja vu.

This part wasn't at all happening like he might've fantasized. Once or twice.

Then again, if he cocked his head just so - with the way the sheets draped across Naruto's lower back - it almost looked like he could've been naked under there.

Yeah, shouldn't have thought about that. Sasuke took in a deep breath as he turned off the light and approached the bed. He sat on the edge and gave Naruto a nudge. He didn't move, though, so Sasuke put a hand on his shoulder and, very gently, gave him another push. Naruto mumbled something and rolled over onto his other side. He could just make out the outline of his back and the way the pajama pants hung very low on his hips.

As Sasuke slipped under the sheet, he lay on his side, facing Naruto. After a moment or two of watching Naruto's torso rise and fall with his breathing, he reached out only to stop short of the other boy's back. Annoyed with himself, he rolled onto his other side and tried not to think about it. That, beside him, in his bed, was a half-naked Naruto. Someone that the very thought of kissing or touching made him wary about being able to control his libido for the rest of the night.

When he shut his eyes, he tried to think unsexy thoughts: naked old women, starving African children, burning buildings filled with orphans and tiny puppies.

Yeah, none of that was really helping.

But maybe through sheer willpower he could keep himself from doing anything stupid tonight, and please Dear God (not that Sasuke was a particularly religious person) let this be a night where he wouldn't be inflicted with any raging hard-ons.

* * *

In the middle of the night, Sasuke awoke with a start.

There'd been a sound, and he didn't know if it had been him or... He rolled onto his back, raising himself on his elbows. It was late, and he felt a bit disoriented, but it didn't take long to remember he wasn't alone. Even in the dark, he could see Naruto sitting up with his knees pulled to his chest and his head resting on his forearms. He wasn't exactly crying, but his breaths were short and sharp. Was it an asthma attack? Itachi had asthma, and it could sound a lot like that.

"Naruto," he said, "What are you doing?"

Naruto didn't answer, didn't even lift his head, so Sasuke pulled himself into a sitting position.

"Are you okay? Are you not feeling well?"

"I had a bad dream," Naruto said so quietly he almost didn't hear it.

Sasuke watched him closely before replying, "Aren't you a little too old to be having nightmares?"

"It wasn't that kind of bad dream." He lifted his head and looked at Sasuke.

Sasuke bit his tongue. That was stupid of him to say. He should've known better.

"Do you want me to get you anything?" He asked. "Some water?"

"I'm fine," Naruto answered but still sounded kind of wheezy. "It'll pass. I just forgot where I was for a minute." He rested his head on his arms again.

He didn't really know what to do or if he could do anything at all, which was a very helpless, and, therefore, irritating feeling.

"Do you... have panic attacks often?"

"No," answered Naruto. "I mean, not really. A few times since Mom died, but never before that."

"Are you sure you don't want me to do anything?"

"No. Now I just feel embarrassed, so don't make a fuss over me."

"At least feel free to talk to me about it. If you want." He pushed the comforter off of his lap and pulled his legs underneath him, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"There's not much to talk about. It wasn't like it was horrific, it's just that... I have these dreams about her sometimes, and then I wake up," Naruto took in a deep breath, "And for a split second, I think she's still alive and her bein' dead was the dream. Then I kind of forgot I was at your house, so I freaked myself out. That's all."

"I see," he said softly. "That sounds... pretty fucked up."

"Uh, yeah," Naruto snorted. "It fucking sucks." He gave another sigh and, tipping to the side, nudged Sasuke in the arm with his shoulder. "Sorry I woke you up."

"You should've woken me up anyway."

"Why? I would've felt better after a while. Just needed to calm down. You should go back to sleep."

"How could I go back to sleep? I'd only worry about you."

Sitting up, Naruto crossed his legs underneath him and leaned back on his hands, which caused their arms to touch. "Thinking about it. This might be the first time I've spent the night at someone else's house since then. Guess I should've warned you I can get a bit unhinged, huh?"

"I think I could've figured that out from the way you like to pick fights in the locker room."

"Hey. I didn't start that!"

"I know," he said. "It was a joke. I was attempting to take your mind off of things, but it went terribly awry, I think."

"Awry?" Naruto mused. "You have a big vocabulary for a 16 year old, Sasuke."

"No. Yours is just extremely limited." He smirked, but he still couldn't get Naruto to crack a smile.

"Maybe so. Sorry that I'm stupid."

"Naruto. I didn't mean anything by it. I should apologize for sucking at knowing what to say here."

"It's fine," said Naruto, and he reached up to rub the side of his nose. "I wouldn't know what to say to me either."

"Maybe you need to relax."

"No kidding."

He hesitated at first, but, looking at Naruto, said, "Get on your stomach."

Naruto stared at him. "...Why?"

"Since I can't offer anything else. Just. Get on your stomach."

Naruto squinted at him suspiciously. "What are you gonna do?"

"Nothing sexual," he said dryly. "Don't worry. Now, roll onto your stomach."

"I wasn't _really_ worried about that," Naruto muttered as he shifted around and got on his stomach. "Happy now?"

"Happy that you're so obedient, yes. Now turn your head the other way."

"Bossy. I always said you were bossy." But, Naruto complied, turning his head to face the wall.

Gently, he placed a hand on top of Naruto's head and started running his fingers through Naruto's hair. As Sasuke massaged his scalp, Naruto's shoulders, which were tense initially, gradually began to loosen up. He continued to wind his fingers through all that blond hair, finding it to be... surprisingly soft and thick.

"Feel good?" He murmured.

"_Amazing_," Naruto groaned. "But you don't have to - "

"Shut up," he said sleepily, "And take it like a man."

Naruto did keep quiet, other than occasionally letting out a muffled noise of pleasure, which amused him greatly. It was like petting a very responsive cat. After about ten minutes, however, his arm was getting tired. When he stopped long enough so that he could readjust by lying down on his stomach, next to Naruto, he got hit in the side with an elbow.

"Don't stop," Naruto whined.

"I wasn't going to," he replied and returned to brushing fingers through his hair.

As he moved his hand lower to rub the base of Naruto's skull, he was able to rest his elbow on the other boy's upper back. Sasuke scooted closer so that his chest leaned against Naruto's side.

"How long can you keep this up?" Naruto asked and let out a contented sigh. "Forever?"

"Not forever," he said. "But for a while. Maybe until you fall asleep again."

"Hmm. It feels too good to fall asleep."

"That's what she said." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto chuckled. Of course he would react to immature jokes. For a while, instead of massaging, he played with Naruto's hair, shaping it into spikes at the back.

"Shall I give you a lesson on how to style your hair?" he asked.

"Mm. Teach me." Because he was tired, Naruto's voice came out low and husky, reminding him of the way he'd sounded on the phone.

"You should say that again," he said, his voice equally as low in response.

"Teach me, Sasuke."

"Say please."

"You're really milkin' this, aren't you?"

"Hn. I'll take what I can get." He massaged Naruto's neck for him, too, and then a bit lower so that he could dig the heel of his hand into his shoulder.

"Fuuuuck."

Sasuke sniggered even though the sound was actually... pretty distracting.

"Do you always make these sorts of sounds when someone scratches and massages your head?"

"Who would be doin' that?" Naruto asked. "It's not like I have a girlfriend."

"Is this what girlfriends do?" Sasuke asked, a hint of wonder in his voice.

"Beats me."

"But... I'm the one doing it."

"Then I guess that makes you my girlfriend for the night," said Naruto.

"Just for the night?" Sasuke asked and went back to massaging the back of his head, pushing Naruto's hair all the way forward just to annoy him, but it didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. "Do you feel better?"

"Mm, yeah," he practically purred. "Don't stop."

"I have to stop eventually," Sasuke replied and, getting tired, leaned more on Naruto's side for support.

"No," Naruto whined, grabbing for his hand and flopping it around. "Don't stop. More, Sasuke." Then he added pathetically, "Pleeaase."

"You're annoying. Do you think whining is going to get you what you want?"

"Take pity on me. I had bad dreams. And since I'm your guest, you have to take care of me."

"Is that how this works?" And, although he caught himself, Sasuke almost had pressed his lips to Naruto's bare shoulder.

It was starting to unnerve him how oddly intimate this scenario felt. The two of them talking in hushed voices while he combed his fingers through Naruto's hair, and then... trailing downward, ran his fingers across Naruto's back, scratching here and there. He used to love when his mother would do this to him when he was younger. Odd that doing it with another boy made an endearing, caring gesture seem a lot more... sexual.

Again, Naruto let out a long sigh.

"Aren't you asleep yet?" Sasuke asked. "My arm's getting tired."

"M'asleep."

"Are you sleep talking?"

"Yes."

"So I could ask you anything, and you'd respond?"

"Sure."

"Maybe not tonight, but... sometime. Will you... tell me about what your mom was like? I bet it was tough," he said, "Raising a troublemaker like you."

Naruto seemed to hold his breath for a little while before quietly chuckling. "Yeah, I suppose she had it pretty rough. She was a character herself, y'know. My dad is the calm one. He likes to plan things and stuff. He's not exactly uptight, but my mom was more like... y'know, someone you conspire with? We'd pull pranks on my dad a lot. She was pretty outgoing, I think."

"Like you." He slid his finger along the dip in Naruto's spine, starting from above the waistband of his pants all the way to his hairline. Sasuke gave him one last pat. "There."

Naruto grumbled. "More touching."

"Pardon?"

Naruto wiggled around some more before turning to look at him, hair sticking up everywhere.

Sasuke moved it out of his eyes for him. "Don't bite your lip," he said, wanting very badly to touch it.

"Don't tell me what to do." Naruto stared back stubbornly, but he stopped biting his lip.

"Your face is too close," he complained, even as his eyes searched Naruto's.

"You should only be so lucky."

"Maybe if I was Sai."

Naruto scoffed. "Like I'd be doin' this with Sai."

"No?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

All the other boy did was shrug.

"That's not much of an answer. Is it because he may try to ravage you in your sleep?"

"Ravage?" Naruto grinned. "Ravage is a good word."

Sasuke smiled. "Isn't it?"

"Mm."

Because he couldn't help himself, he reached for a piece of Naruto's hair and gave it a tug.

"Sasuke." Naruto's voice seemed to hold a question, or maybe it was a statement unto itself.

"Hm?" He let the piece drop. "What's up?"

"You look like your mom."

"Is that so? You're not going to try and grope me now, are you?" He joked.

"Maybe." Naruto smirked. "If I wasn't so tired. I suppose there are worse people for me to fool around with."

"Oh, thanks," he said. "Way to make a man feel good about himself."

Naruto turned toward him more, resting his head on his arm. One of his eyes fell shut, and he yawned.

"If you're tired," he told Naruto. "Go to sleep."

"Don't wanna. I like this. Talkin' to you. Plus, you rubbed my head for a long time. Now I have this odd sense of loyalty toward you. So, if I go to sleep, I'll feel like I abandoned you."

Sasuke settled more onto his stomach. He was lying lower on the bed than Naruto, with his upper body angled toward him.

"Should I return the favor?" Naruto asked, and, placing his hand on Sasuke's head, began to rub it.

Immediately, Sasuke closed his eyes. If it hadn't been so late, and if he hadn't been so tired, he would've argued, he would've smacked Naruto's hand away, but... this felt nice.

"Your hair's soft," Naruto remarked. His fingers tracked from the top of his head to the nape of his neck, then back again. "But it's so thick here." He pulled at the spiky tips. "And kinda coarse. Mine's too thin to stick up like yours does."

"I'm not even going to touch that one," Sasuke replied, letting out a sigh of pleasure.

"You need to get laid, Sasuke. You've got sex on the brain."

"You don't?"

"Of course I do. I'm a teenager."

"Are you thinking about sex right now?" he asked, smirking.

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know."

Sasuke opened his eyes, and, glancing up, caught Naruto smiling. The boy's expression - the openness, the humor, the little bit of sadness that always seemed to exist in his eyes - it caused a strange reaction inside of him that he hadn't felt before.

"Roll over."

"Hm. Why? I'm busy."

"Naruto," he said more seriously. "_Roll_ over."

With a small frown, Naruto let his hand drop, and, stopping to study Sasuke's face, determined that he should apparently honor his request. Naruto rolled over.

"Onto your side," said Sasuke.

Obediently, Naruto got onto his side. "Is this your way of tellin' me to go to bed and that I suck at massages?"

"No." Sasuke slid up behind him and wrapped his arm around Naruto's middle. He kept some space between the lower halves of their bodies, though.

"What are you doin'?" Naruto asked cautiously. His body tensed, but he didn't try to push Sasuke away.

"Protecting you," he murmured. "From any more bad dreams."

"Oh."

"Don't worry," he said, barely touching his fingertips to Naruto's stomach. "I won't try anything."

"You mean other than this?" Naruto asked.

"Do you have a problem with it?"

"...No," he said. "But... I feel like I should."

"It doesn't have to be sexual," Sasuke replied. "It's called comfort."

"Maybe this one time..."

"This one time." Sasuke rested his forehead against Naruto's shoulder, and Naruto, surprisingly, leaned into him. He also took hold of Sasuke's hand and pushed it flat against his stomach. "You can leave your hand there. I don't care."

Sasuke curled his fingers in so that his nails scraped lightly across Naruto's skin. He thought he felt him shiver.

"Goodnight, Naruto," he breathed across the other boy's neck, raising goosebumps.

"...Goodnight," Naruto replied gruffly.

Purposely, he let out a heavy sigh that blew pieces of Naruto's hair off of his neck. Sasuke let his hand glide further up, so that it was almost atop the boy's heart. He felt it begin to beat faster, especially as he shifted forward and brought their bodies into full contact - even his knee slid between Naruto's legs. Then, pushing down on Naruto's chest, the upper part of his body became flush with Sasuke's, to where he could almost touch the shell of Naruto's ear with his lips.

Just having Naruto in his arms... felt incredibly satisfying in a way he'd never experienced. For those brief few minutes before sleep, maybe he could pretend that this is what it felt like when you could be with someone you genuinely liked that could also return your affections.

Only for tonight, he told himself, because he was beginning to feel absurdly protective of this person. He didn't like when Naruto was troubled or anxious or upset. So, why wouldn't he do what he could to protect him? To make him worry less? He liked Naruto's stupid smile. And his stupidly bright blue eyes, and the way his breathing was evening out, having finally relaxed into Sasuke completely. He liked the way Naruto's body fit against his like a missing puzzle piece he didn't even know he'd been looking for.

_This_ \- Sasuke slipped his hand down to Naruto's stomach - this could actually make him believe that love was a very real possibility, and not necessarily one that wasn't worth being open to... and pursuing.


	5. Chapter 5

In the morning, Sasuke was the first up, and rather than roll around, Naruto had stayed within his arms. He didn't know what gave him the courage to make this happen last night, but it was a very wonderful and perplexing thing in his eyes. Even so, he thought it best that, before Naruto got up, he should let go, and, yet... he didn't want to. Naruto's body was warm against his, and even the snoring didn't bother him. It's wasn't that he wanted anything sexual to happen (not like he would complain if it did); it was really the closeness he enjoyed. When he'd experienced sex for the first time, there'd never been anything like this - it had just been lust and self-gratification at best. This was something different.

Reluctantly, he removed his arms from around Naruto and, carefully, crept out of bed. While leaving the room, he closed the door behind him so that Naruto could continue to sleep.

Half in a daze, Sasuke went into the bathroom in order to relieve himself, wash his hands and face, and brush his teeth. Once he finished, he walked down the hall, but didn't see anyone in the living room. However, hearing noises coming from the kitchen, he strayed that way and found his mother washing dishes. She had on a pair of jeans and a long black sweater.

"Good morning," he said to her. "Can I help?"

Seeing him, Mikoto smiled warmly. "You can dry as I wash. How about that?"

"Sounds fine." He opened one of the drawers beside the sink and pulled out a hand towel.

"Did you sleep well?" asked Mikoto.

"I did," he answered. "Naruto's not up yet."

"He looked tired last night. I wonder if he isn't sleeping."

"Maybe not," he said, not feeling like it was his place to mention the dreams.

"We'll let him sleep then," she commented with a decided nod of her head. "Your father had to go into work this morning."

Sasuke frowned as he dried a small green bowl with a chip on its edge and placed it on the counter. "That's unusual, isn't it?"

"I think he has a very important account he's working on, and he wants to make sure it goes off without a hitch. You know your father. Everything has to be perfect."

"No kidding," he mumbled, and, glancing out the window, noticed his brother's car in the driveway. "Is Itachi home?"

"I haven't seen him yet, but his bedroom door is closed, so I imagine he's still sleeping."

"I wonder who he went out with?" Sasuke asked absently.

"If you want," said his mother while sweeping her hair out of her face, "When Naruto gets up, maybe the two of you can take my car to the Asian food store and get us everything we need for ramen. You know all the ingredients, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Are you feeling okay?" She stopped what she was doing to wipe her hands over her apron and feel his forehead. "You seem... distracted."

"I'm fine," he replied, offering her a crooked smile.

"Would you like me to make you some breakfast?" His mother asked worriedly. "Maybe you need to eat."

"No," he shook his head. "I'll wait for Naruto."

When they'd finished with the dishes and put them away, his mom mentioned something about going into the backyard (probably to investigate the plot for the garden or check on the koi), so after Sasuke left the kitchen, he wandered down the hall to Itachi's room and knocked on his door.

A few seconds later, the door opened. Itachi was dressed, but he looked like he hadn't been up for very long. He was wearing a pair of reading glasses.

"Good morning, Sasuke." Itachi left the door open and went to sit on the edge of the bed. "Did you have a fun time yesterday?"

Sasuke pushed the door closed. "It was fine."

"What did the two of you do?"

"We went to the record store and the arcade, ate pizza, and then came home."

A smile curved the corner of Itachi's lips. "Sounds like a date."

Sasuke took a seat beside his older brother, hunching forward as he ran a hand through the back of his hair.

"Did anything... happen between the two of you?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke glared half-heartedly at him. "What do _you_ think?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking. You did sleep in the same bed, didn't you?"

"That doesn't mean anything has to happen."

"Does he know how you feel yet?" Itachi removed his glasses and rubbed one of the lenses against his shirt before putting them back on.

"Where did you go last night?" Sasuke asked, changing the subject.

"Out with some friends."

"Anyone I know?"

"Probably." Itachi studied him closely.

Sasuke's gaze drifted toward the half-open window. "Was... Yahiko there?"

"No. He and Konan went somewhere for spring break."

"Alone?"

"Why are you asking?" Itachi sounded suspicious of him.

He shook his head, feigning disinterest. "No reason."

"Very well." Suddenly, he felt his brother's hand on the back of his neck. "I saw your teacher last night. He said Naruto caused quite the commotion yesterday."

Sasuke snorted. "What did he have to say about it?"

"Not much. Just that Naruto confronted a couple of boys for picking on a friend of his."

"Is that really all he said?"

"Why? Is there more that happened?"

"No," he replied. "It's just... astonishingly accurate for Kakashi."

"Were you there when it happened?"

"It had already started by the time I got there. Naruto was confronting two older students who often cause trouble. They fought a bit, and I intervened."

"Did anyone get hurt?" Itachi asked.

"Not really," he said. "I sent Naruto to the nurse's office since his nose was bleeding, but it was more of a precaution."

Itachi tugged at one of the spikes at the back of Sasuke's head. "Kakashi mentioned you talked to the principal on Naruto's behalf? Is that true?"

He sighed. "Don't you two have anything better to talk about than me?"

"Of course not," replied his brother. "I love knowing what's going on in your life."

"You're annoying," Sasuke muttered.

"It's normal," said Itachi, with a chuckle, "To want to protect the people you care about."

"Why does it have to be about that?" Sasuke asked, already knowing he sounded defensive. "They were harassing another student, and Naruto stepped in to stop them. It's no different than what I did. Some people just don't want others to be able to get away with that kind of crap."

"If you say so. I don't know why you're getting angry about it. You did a good thing, and, theoretically, so did Naruto."

"I think I'll go take a shower," he mumbled, getting up from the bed. He felt annoyed, and he was tired of talking about Naruto and Sai and _feelings_.

Leaving his brother's room, he had it in mind to grab some clothes and take a quick shower, but when he opened his bedroom door, he found Naruto sitting on the edge of the bed, checking something on his phone. Sasuke, despite himself, paused in the doorway. Naruto glanced up from his phone.

"Hey."

"...Hey," Sasuke replied. "I thought you might still be asleep."

"Nah." Naruto set his phone on the nightstand, beside Sasuke's. "I've been up for maybe ten minutes? Just thought I'd check my messages."

Sasuke entered the room, leaving the door open a crack. He couldn't really read Naruto. Did he even remember waking up in the middle of the night?

"Somethin' wrong?" Naruto asked him. "You look kinda constipated."

Sasuke scowled. "Shut up, idiot."

The other boy snickered. "That's better. Much more like the Sasuke I know."

He cleared his throat. "Did you... sleep okay?"

"I think so, yeah. I mean. I feel pretty well-rested? That's kind of unusual. I haven't been sleepin' so well this week."

Sasuke nodded, coming to the conclusion that Naruto either didn't remember last night or was pretending it didn't happen, which sucked on both accounts but was probably something he should've expected. "I was going to take a shower, but you can take one first if you want."

"You don't want to take one together?" Naruto grinned lop-sidedly as he scratched at his shoulder.

Sasuke blinked at him. "...What?"

"Um. I was kiddin'? It's called a joke. Are you sure you're okay? You're actin' kinda weird."

"I'm fine. I momentarily forgot about your juvenile sense of humor. Do you still want pancakes?"

"Only if you do," Naruto replied, having not taken offense. "M'kinda hungry."

There was an awkward pause before Sasuke, while pulling at his t-shirt, said, "Later, Mom thought maybe we could go to the store and get some ingredients for lunch. You and me, I mean. We'll take her car."

Naruto nodded as he pulled his leg up onto the edge of the bed and wiggled his foot. "Oh right. Are we gonna have ramen? I feel like I mighta had a dream about it."

"If you still want to, yes." Sasuke took a few steps closer and crossed his arms. "Who dreams about ramen?"

"Me apparently. But, yeah, sounds good. If you think I'll like it. It doesn't have any funky cheese in it, right?" Naruto leaned back on his arms, grinning widely.

Sasuke smirked. "I don't understand how you can be in such good shape when you eat nothing but garbage."

"Wait. What did you just say?" Naruto asked and laughed at him. "Did you just compliment me?"

Shit. "No."

"Uh, yeah. Pretty sure you did. You said I was in good shape."

Sasuke glared. "Stop smiling. I only meant you're not as flabby and obese as you probably should be considering your diet."

"Is this doin' somethin' for you?" Naruto asked and lay back on the bed, striking a provocative pose as he folded his arms underneath his head. The waistband to his pj pants was twisted, and for the three seconds that Sasuke happened to look, he caught a glimpse of the blond trail of hair that went from there to Naruto's navel.

He couldn't decide if he wanted to strangle or pounce him.

"Cocktease," he muttered, and Naruto burst out laughing again. Sasuke looked away. "You really suck."

"Well," said Naruto. "Maybe if you play your cards right?"

"That's it. I'm going to take a shower," he grumbled and, ignoring the other boy, went about searching for a pair of jeans and some band t-shirt he found at the top of a pile in one of his drawers.

"Ah, don't be that way," said Naruto. "You're not gonna jerk off in there, are you?"

Sasuke snorted as he pulled out a pair of underwear. "I wouldn't flatter yourself."

"Oh. I didn't mean over me... wait, would you do that?"

When Sasuke had found everything he was looking for, he stopped to glare at him. "Not even if you paid me. Maybe I'll think about Sai. Since he and I have apparently been screwing like rabbits."

"I know that's not true," Naruto said. "Especially since he doesn't seem to like you very much."

"Is that so? Did he tell you that?"

Naruto made a flippant gesture with his hand. "Mm. He told me once that he thought you were a conceited, stuck-up jerk."

"Then why did you suggest last night that you thought he and I - "

"- Just because the two of you might hate each other doesn't mean y'might not wanna, y'know, fuck."

Sasuke stood at the foot of the bed. "Why are you imagining my sex life exactly?"

Naruto tilted his head and pressed his lips together. "I'm curious."

"Are you now?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you were gonna take a shower."

"That was when you were being annoying, but now you have my attention." And if Naruto didn't stop rubbing his lips together and obscenely sprawling himself across his bed, there was going to be a problem.

"Y'know...as your friend," he paused, apparently waiting for Sasuke to contradict him and when he didn't, continued, "I have an interest in your life and the things that have happened to you."

"This includes my sex life? I'm gay, Naruto. Why would you want to hear about the sex I have with other men?"

"Fine," said Naruto, frowning. "Sorry I asked. And to think I defended you when Sai said all that stuff."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Pout all you want, but I never asked you to defend me. I don't care what Sai thinks of me."

"Fine," Naruto said again. He sat up, but he was obviously getting angry. "Do you even care what I think of you?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort: _No_, but because it wasn't true, he couldn't get himself to say it.

"I'll take your silence for a no," said Naruto. "That's great. That makes me feel good. If you don't care what I think, why did you bother asking me to stay here this weekend?"

"Naruto," he said sharply. "Would you shut up?"

Naruto's jaw snapped closed, and he glared fiercely.

"Don't glare at me either," Sasuke said in a near-whisper now.

"Stop tellin' me what to do," Naruto spat, getting up onto his knees like he was ready for a fight.

"I'm only saying it for your own good."

"What the hell are you talkin' about? Are you threatenin' me?"

Sasuke dropped the clothes and got onto the bed. He took hold of Naruto's upper arms and pushed him down onto the sheets.

"Let me explain it in a way that even a moron like you can understand," Sasuke said in a husky voice while hovering over him. "Every time you look at me like that, I want to pin you down like this and kiss you, so when I tell you to stop, you better listen to me, because I _will_ kiss you again."

Naruto's lips parted and he uttered a breathless, "Oh."

Sasuke raised himself to his knees, so that he straddled the other boy's thighs, and seeing that Naruto was now sufficiently stunned into silence, he crawled off of him, grabbed his clothes, and headed to the bathroom to take what would probably be a very cold shower.

* * *

It took a while for him to calm once he was in the shower. He couldn't figure out why Naruto could so easily rile him like that. He typically had a better control over his emotions, and, come on, it was part of his heritage to be more reserved than this. While he washed his hair, he only became more frustrated with himself, and then he started to get angry at Naruto for provoking him. Was he just making fun of him? Didn't Naruto know how difficult it was for him to be in a situation where he always felt like he had to be careful? Sasuke tried to block it out as he washed the shampoo from his hair and proceeded to nearly scrub the skin off of his limbs with the rag. By the time he finished showering, his skin was red, splotchy, and raw. As he stepped onto the floor, he considered writing a hateful message to Naruto on the mirror since it had fogged up, but with his luck of late, one of his parents would stumble in and see it.

It felt as though he'd been in there forever by the time he dried off, shaved (not that he really needed to), put some product in his hair, and got dressed. It was like he was intentionally stalling. He was going to dry his hair, too, but the more he thought about it, the more he didn't want to leave Naruto alone in his room for very long. He'd be the type of person who found it hilarious to get on someone's computer or phone and go through the browser's history or send obscene texts to one of their classmates.

His paranoia getting the best of him, Sasuke barged out of the bathroom and into the bedroom only to find it empty. His laptop was shut, his phone was still plugged into the charger. Nothing looked askew. There was a small pile of Naruto's clothes on the corner of the bed, which, shockingly, had been made. Even all the pillows were piled neatly in front of the headboard.

Confused, he ran a hand through his wet hair. "Well, shit."

He left the room in search of Naruto, but it's not as if there were many options for where he could've gone. At first, he thought he might've bumped into Itachi, but, instead, he found Naruto talking (and laughing) with his mother in the kitchen. They were standing close to the stove, and his mom was letting Naruto pour what he assumed to be pancake batter onto the hot skiddle. It also looked as though Naruto had taken the liberty of borrowing one of his shirts.

"Now be careful not to burn yourself," said Mikoto.

Naruto smiled at her. "I'll be careful, don't worry. I'm no amateur when it comes to pancakes."

"I can tell. You're doing so well. When I let Sasuke make them, sometimes they have a funny shape, but don't tell him I said that."

"Ha, really? Your secret's safe with me. Figures he can't be perfect at everything."

"Oh no, dear," Mikoto put a hand on his shoulder. "I assure you that my son has his flaws."

"Aw," said Naruto as he placed the large measuring cup they were using on the counter. "Aren't moms always supposed to think their sons are perfect?"

Mikoto giggled as she wiped her hands across her apron; Sasuke cleared his throat, and the both of them turned to look at him.

"Are you sure you want to let Naruto stand next to an open flame?" he asked.

"Hey, I'm doin' a good job. Ask your mom."

"I don't have to," he replied. "I already heard her comments about my pancake-making ability."

"Oh, Sasuke," said Mikoto. "Don't be silly."

"Well, you're welcome to take over," said Naruto. "I wouldn't mind takin' a shower. I feel all sweaty and gross."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Did Sasuke tell you where the towels are?" asked Mikoto.

"I'm sure he's seen where they're folded on the towel rack in there," Sasuke remarked.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright, Sasuke?" she asked him. "You're very crabby today."

He scowled. "I'm not _crabby_." He noticed Naruto pulling a face. "And you, stop smirking."

Naruto laughed. "I can't help it." He scratched the back of his neck. "It's kinda remindin' me of when I used to cook with my mom."

"Really?" Mikoto asked. "Did your mother enjoy cooking?"

"Yeah, she did. I'm not sure she was always good at it, but she liked it."

"Does your father like to cook?"

"Uh." Naruto's smile wavered. "Yeah. He used to. I mean, he does. But he used to grill out. We don't really have a spot to do that now, so if he makes anything, it's a lot of spaghetti or macaroni and cheese. I'm fine cookin' my own meals, too. I'm happy with a sandwich or fast food or whatever."

"I'll certainly keep that in mind. Sometimes I make so much food for our family that we have far too many leftovers, and Sasuke's such a picky eater that he won't eat anything he has to reheat."

Naruto's cheeks changed to a shade of pink. "That's okay. Dad and I are doin' alright by ourselves. I wouldn't wanna impose, and I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't be too happy about havin' to drag stuff all the way to school."

"Mom, you're making Naruto uncomfortable," said Sasuke. "Just let him go take his shower."

"That's not true," Naruto argued. "It's a very nice offer. I may have to take you up on it sometime." He smiled at Mikoto, but Sasuke knew well enough to be able to distinguish it from one of the other boy's more genuine smiles. Then his gaze landed on Sasuke. "You should probably flip that." He pointed at the pan. "It's gonna burn soon, I bet."

"Alright," he said, and as they passed each other, their shoulders bumped. "Don't take too long. We'll set it out on the table."

"Sure thing. I like short showers. Be right back."

Sasuke stopped, turned, and watched him leave the room. Afterward, he quietly grabbed the spatula and flipped over the pancake.

"Why are you talking like that to him?" Mikoto asked. "Did you two have a fight?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't know what you mean. That's how we usually talk to each other."

"I think he was having fun helping me."

"He probably was," replied Sasuke. "But, I don't think he wants to be treated differently because of his mom."

Suddenly, Mikoto leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "See, I told you you're a very thoughtful boy. He seems to be enjoying himself. Naruto was telling me that his father has been very busy with work so they don't get to see each other all that much."

"Is that what he said?" He kept his voice neutral since he didn't want to allude to the fact he also thought that even when they did spend time together, they weren't exactly getting along.

"Yes, we talked a little bit about everything since you were in the shower for so long. By the way, I heard from your father. He should be home in time for lunch, so don't forget to go to the store after breakfast."

"I remember," he said, and used the spatula to take out the perfectly round pancake and set it on a plate. He started to pour in some more batter but, somehow, it didn't seem quite as nice as Naruto's. He frowned at it and heard his mother laugh.

"Maybe since Naruto's pancakes are so perfect, you can consider adopting _him_," Sasuke remarked sarcastically, which only made his mom laugh even harder.

"I'm not opposed to that." Itachi appeared in the doorway. "Naruto's far more fun to be around. Much less moody."

"You've only met him the one time, and you act like you two are the best of friends," said Sasuke.

"I think he's charming," said Mikoto. "I'm sure your father will, too."

"I wonder," he said.

"Sasuke's just jealous," said Itachi.

"What exactly am I jealous of?" He asked. "I don't care if the two of you like him. He's a tolerable person."

Itachi chuckled, and when Sasuke turned around, he very much caught his brother and mother sharing a look.

"You two are annoying," he said, and handed the spatula to his mother. "I'll go set the table."

"Oh, Sasuke," said Mikoto. "We're only teasing. It's not often you bring friends to the house, so we'll be better behaved from now on."

"Somehow I doubt it," he said and went through the cabinets to set out a stack of plates. Then he found some silverware and laid out a few napkins. Ignoring his brother and his knowing smirk, Sasuke went into the dining room and placed the table for the four of them.

Figuring it would be a little longer before Naruto got out of the shower, he returned to the bedroom to retrieve his new record. He brought it downstairs and placed it with the other albums (ordered alphabetically by band and genre). Most of them were his, but some were Itachi's, and a few of them belonged to his parents. His mother especially liked to listen to them with him sometimes.

As he was doing some rearranging, he heard someone coming down the steps.

"Was that fast enough for you?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke glanced at him. He hadn't seen Naruto in normal clothes since the first day of school, but today he was dressed in a pair of light-colored blue jeans and a thin cobalt sweater that really brought out the color of his eyes. His hair was damp, but it was already starting to stick up at the top.

"Whatcha doin'?" Naruto stepped closer. "Wow, that's a pretty awesome collection. Can I see?" He took a seat beside Sasuke on the carpet and started pulling the records out.

"Do you mind?" He asked. "I have these in a certain order."

"I won't mess it up," Naruto replied calmly. "I know you're OCD about your things."

"Don't let your hair drip all over it either."

"Your hair's still wet, too," Naruto argued, pushing an album by The Animals back into place. "What's with you? You're kinda grouchy. I thought you were gonna jerk off in the shower, so you should be more relaxed, right?"

He caught the other boy as Naruto started to smile and couldn't deny the frustration he felt. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Of course."

Sasuke opened his mouth to do just that, but he was unable to get the original question to come out, so instead he said, "Do you want to have a bonfire tonight?"

Naruto's smile became even more blinding. "Really? That would be... really fun! Can we have hot dogs and s'mores and all that?"

"If you want," he said, trying to ignore what Naruto's childish excitement was doing to him. "We still have to run to the Asian food store, so I suppose we can stop by somewhere else and get whatever we want."

Naruto was biting his lip. "I kinda wanna hug you right now."

"Please don't."

Naruto chuckled before speaking teasingly, "If I argue with you, you're not gonna try and kiss me, are you?"

Sasuke glared. "I might. It seems to be the only type of threat that works, which makes me wonder why you'd willingly want to hug me."

"Tch. What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto frowned as he pulled out another album.

Sasuke pushed it back. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. I dunno what you mean."

"Let's see. If someone makes it clear that they don't want to have physical contact with you, then it would be confusing if they suddenly want a hug."

"Wait. What? What are we talkin' about right now? I'm confused."

Sasuke stared at him. "Are you mocking me?"

"Uh, no. I don't know what you're gettin' at. Honestly. If you think I'm bothered about before... I'm not. I just figured you were tryin' to get me to shut up 'cause you thought I was annoying."

"I always think you're annoying," he said.

"Okay then."

Sasuke wanted to bring up the fact that Naruto was the one pretending last night never happened, but he didn't think it would be worth it.

"Sasuke." Naruto placed a hand on his knee. "Are you mad at me? Did I do somethin' wrong?"

He glanced at the floor and slipped a piece of hair behind his ear. "No." Sasuke shook his head. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I won't be offended. If I'm doin' somethin' that pisses you off - if you just tell me, I'll stop doin' it. As simple as that."

Sasuke stared at Naruto's hand. "Do you really want me to be honest?"

"Um, yeah. I prefer that. I'm surprised you're askin' me, though. Usually you don't hold back at all."

He was about to tell Naruto how he felt about all the teasing and mixed signals when his brother called to them from the top of the stairs to let them know breakfast was ready.

"It's nothing." Quickly, he got to his feet and shut the record cabinet.

Naruto blinked at him a moment before standing up, as well. "Can we at least talk about it later? I don't think it's nothing."

"I said it's nothing." He smiled weakly at the other boy. "Would you go up the stairs already? I wouldn't want you to miss out on your perfect pancakes."

"Hm. You're bein' weird, and I'm gonna get to the bottom of it."

"Sure you are, Sherlock." Sasuke gave him a light push from behind to start him up the stairs and then followed suit.

"Heh. Guess that would make you Watson. I definitely don't think you could pull off the main character."

"Yeah, right," said Sasuke. "As if anyone would ever watch a show called Naruto."

"Shut up," said Naruto. "I bet tons of people would watch my show."

"In your dreams," he said, giving Naruto another push that caused him to stumble and grab the hand rail.

"Bastard!"

"Hn. Don't be using that language in front of my mother."

"Tch. You're just mad she likes me better than you."

"Of course," said Sasuke. "After all, I'm just one of the side characters."

* * *

Breakfast had been eventful. Without his father there, the meal felt incredibly light-hearted. Not to say his dad wasn't a good man. Sasuke knew that he was. So, if Naruto told a few colorful stories while they were eating, no one was particularly bothered. Even he had almost choked on a piece of pancake a couple of times, and, honestly, it was always great to hear his mother laugh. Plus, he learned a little more about Naruto's life in Illinois. He spoke often of this Gaara person, making it hard for Sasuke not to get at least somewhat jealous.

Before they went to the store, Naruto had gone out with his mom into the backyard. Sasuke lingered by the koi pond, half listening as his mother talked to Naruto about all of the flowers she wanted to plant soon. Surprisingly, Naruto was familiar with a few names, but, then again, he had mentioned something about gardening with his own mom. In a way, he was happy to have brought Naruto here. Not because of the obvious, but because he thought Naruto was genuinely enjoying the time he spent with his mom.

Eventually, Naruto wandered over to him and crouched by the edge of the pond, poking his finger into the water. During the winter, they kept the fish in a large tub out in the shed, but it had been warm enough for the past month to put them back in.

"So," Naruto said. "Where are we gonna have this bonfire?"

"There's a fire pit a ways back. Should be some wood piled up already, but I'll have to check."

"That's cool." Naruto glanced up at him, squinting because the sun was in his eyes. "Kinda like camping."

"I don't know." Sasuke smirked at him. "Can I trust you around fire?"

"Even cavemen could handle fire, Sasuke." He tugged at Sasuke's pant leg. "I know you think I'm dumb. But I can handle that much."

He almost felt guilty. Was it terrible of him to find it amusing he might be giving Naruto a bit of a complex?

"Why are you smilin'?" Naruto asked. "It's kinda creepin' me out."

"You're paranoid, Naruto," he replied. "I'm just enjoying the weather."

"Yeah right." Naruto stood up beside him. "I'm ready to go to the store if you want."

"You know." Sasuke had to hold his hair out of his eyes as the wind picked up. "Your eyes look incredibly blue in the sunlight."

Naruto's head tilted just slightly, and he gave Sasuke one of those lop-sided grins. In a low voice he asked, "Are you hittin' on me right now, Sasuke Uchiha?"

"I'm paying you a compliment," he answered. "Accept it gracefully."

"Then... thank you." Naruto's smile became wider, and he laughed while pushing his hair back. Sasuke found he was growing to love that sound. "It's weird what it does to me when you're bein' sincere."

"Why?" He bumped into Naruto's arm. "What does it do to you?"

"How should I answer that with your mom about 15 feet away?"

Sasuke smirked. "Does it make you feel something that wouldn't be appropriate to mention in front of my mother?"

Biting his lip, Naruto glanced down at the grass.

"You're biting your lip again," Sasuke told him.

Naruto sighed. "You sure are in a much better mood than you were earlier."

Sasuke stiffened and looked the other way. "Sorry. I was... distracted."

"By?"

He glanced up again. "Hm?"

"By what were you distracted?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Stuff," he answered. "Things."

"You're the master of vague, Obi-Wan," Naruto mumbled.

"Ah, our very first Star Wars reference. We should commemorate this moment forever."

Naruto snickered. "I'll be sure to write it down in my diary tonight."

"I'd like to read that," Sasuke teased. "If I can. Your handwriting's terrible, and it's probably nothing but misspellings."

"Like I'd let you read my diary. Then you'd see all the little hearts surrounding your name."

"I was wondering why you were so quick to accept my invitation to stay this weekend."

A piece of dandelion floated by on the wind and landed in Naruto's hair. Sasuke picked it out for him and tossed it to the wind again.

"You collect bric-a-brac like a magpie," Sasuke said absently.

Naruto let out a sharp laugh. "What? I've never heard that expression before."

"Really?" asked Sasuke. "My grandmother used to say it all the time."

Naruto hummed. "I love this weather. It rains so much here. I'm glad to see the sun." He squinted playfully at Sasuke. "I bet you like it, too. Since it brings the _blue_out in my eyes."

Rather than get annoyed, he was beginning to like when Naruto mocked him. Actually, it was easier to throw the other boy off by reacting calmly instead of just returning an insult.

"I do," said Sasuke. "It also brings out all of the different colors of blond in your hair."

Sasuke put a hand to Naruto's shoulder, stared at him, and then gave him a tiny push. Naruto wobbled, but it wasn't enough to even cause him to take a step.

"What was that for?" asked Naruto and suddenly smirked, "A love tap?"

Sasuke grinned at him. "I'd tap that."

Naruto let out a loud laugh that caused his mother to look their way.

"Come on," he said. "We should probably get to the store before my dad comes home."

"Mmkay."

He and Naruto, after saying goodbye to his mother, grabbed the keys from off of one of the hooks in the kitchen. Naruto returned to the bedroom to retrieve his wallet and a pair of sunglasses. Then they went downstairs and through the garage, where Naruto made a few audible noises of pleasure over all of his father's tools.

"That workbench is awesome," said Naruto. "My dad had one like it at our old house. I think he misses bein' able to do stuff with his hands."

Sasuke immediately thought of an inappropriate comment to make, but kept it to himself. They got into the car, and he hit the garage door button.

"Nice car," said Naruto. "It smells new."

Sasuke was adjusting the mirror before he began reversing into the driveway.

"It's about a year old," he said.

"Well, I like it. Ah, do you wanna borrow my sunglasses?" Naruto took them off the top of his head and handed them to Sasuke. "Kinda bright, don't you think?"

"Are you sure?" He asked. He had a pair but thought he might've left them in his locker.

"Yeah. S'cool. I always lose mine, so I have to get a new pair about every other month."

"If you don't mind." Sasuke took them from him. They weren't anything special. Black frames. Probably not terribly expensive. It was nice, though. That they belonged to Naruto.

Their driveway was a half circle, so it was easy to get out onto the main lane that winded throughout the entire neighborhood. He turned on the Sirius radio to one of his favorite alternative stations.

Naruto must've been distracted by the scenery, because he went quiet for a while. It reminded him of all the stories he'd heard mothers tell about taking their babies for a ride in the car to get them to stop crying. Maybe Naruto was a bit like that?

When they turned out of the gated community, they had to get on the highway for only a few miles. It left him to think about the many sides to Naruto, and how every single one seemed rather appealing. There was the immature side that could be both annoying and entertaining. There was the angry, self-deprecating side. He was also incredibly kind and compassionate. And then there were moments of introspection like this, where he wondered what Naruto was thinking. Sometimes he wanted to ask, but he didn't always feel like he had the courage. It's why he could never accept when someone made a big deal about him supposedly being popular. He knew that he had flaws when it came to people and how to communicate, even on the smallest levels. Whereas, Naruto was exceptionally good at striking conversations with everyone.

After another mile, he couldn't help himself. "What are you thinking?"

"Oh. Sorry. I think I zoned out." Naruto stopped looking out the window and glanced at him, showing a small smile.

"I don't mind that," he said, keeping his eyes on the road. "I was just wondering what you were thinking."

"Honestly? I guess I was thinkin' how odd it is that I'm cool with you drivin'. Usually I don't like that for some reason. I mean, someone our age."

"But you rode a motorcycle with your friend Gaara."

"True. But. That was before. Things make me more nervous now. I dunno why that is." Naruto pressed his fingertips to the window.

"If you need me to stop at any time, let me know. I didn't know driving was an issue for you."

"It's not, really. Not driving, I guess. It's somethin' else. If I start to think about things... it's weird. If I upset myself too much, I get kinda worked up. Like last night."

Sasuke glanced at him sharply. "Last night?"

Naruto looked back at him. "Yeah, y'know. When I had the bad dream?"

He turned his eyes to the road, frowning. "I thought you forgot."

"Huh? Why would I forget?"

"I don't know," he mumbled. "You didn't mention anything about it when you woke up."

"Why would I? You were there. Remember? You scratched my head for, like, forever."

Sasuke felt his cheeks heating up. "It's what my mom used to do to calm me down."

"Well, it worked." Naruto returned to staring out the window. "I can't believe you thought I forgot. I never forget good things people do for me. Never."

He felt ashamed. That he'd jumped to the conclusion Naruto was purposely pretending not to remember. He supposed it made sense that Naruto wouldn't bring it up, especially if he didn't consider it a big deal. But, to Sasuke it had been a big deal. Then again, maybe Naruto wasn't aware just how difficult it was for him to provide comfort to others. That, in fact, it had been his first attempt ever on anyone outside of his family, and even then, he wasn't terribly good at it.

Just as he was about to take their exit, he said, "You're full of surprises, Naruto. You know that?"

Naruto looked his way. "Do I make your life a little more exciting?"

"It seems so, yes."

"You're glad I moved here?"

"It's not the worst thing that's ever happened."

"Tch. Jerk." But, Naruto remained smiling.

"Where do you want to go first? To the one store to get hot dogs and marshmallows, or to the Asian food store to get everything for ramen?"

"Your call. I'll go wherever you go."

"I don't believe you have much choice in the matter," he replied. "Asian food store is closer. Let's go there. That way we can spend more time at the other getting whatever you want."

"Even alcohol?" Naruto grinned mischievously.

"Neither of us looks anywhere close to 21."

"Hey. Speak for yourself."

"What are you going to do? Rip your shirt off and show them your stomach?"

Naruto scoffed. "You ass. That would probably work on you!"

The corner of his mouth curled. "Probably."

"Asshole!" Naruto shouted. "You even admitted it!"

"So."

"So?! Wait. What are we talkin' about?"

"You were about to take your shirt off, I believe."

"Oh. No. And it's not a shirt, it's a sweater."

"My mistake."

"It's blue," Naruto said, obviously in the mood to be obnoxious, "Does it bring out the color in my eyes?"

Sasuke glanced at him calmly. "It does. It looks really good on you."

"Dammit. It's hard to pick a fight with you when you're bein' so..., so... what's the word?"

"Gay?" Sasuke supplied.

Naruto snorted. "I was gonna say nice, but yeah I suppose that's a bit gay."

"Like when I held you in my arms last night so that you could go to sleep." After saying that, Sasuke immediately bit his lip. Shit, where the hell did that come from that he would even joke about it?

Naruto's mouth was hanging open. "I cannot believe you just went there."

"Me either," he said, but laughed anyway. "It's your fault. You always talk without a filter. It must be rubbing off on me, and if you make one comment about my phrasing, I'll punch you in the shoulder."

They were already in the parking lot, and Sasuke was being careful to navigate around the elderly drivers. And people said teenagers were terrible drivers. When he finally parked the car and turned it off, there was a moment where the two of them just stared at each other. Respectively, they were both grinning, and he had a feeling that they were thinking very similar things.

"You like being with me, don't you," Naruto said to him, his expression cocky.

"Is that a statement or a question?" He unsnapped his seat belt.

"You're always so evasive. I think I'd drop dead if you were ever straight-forward when it came to personal questions."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why are you asking questions you might not want to hear the answer to?"

"Why would I not wanna hear that you like spending time with me?"

"Maybe I don't want to answer if it's just going to be to feed your ego."

"Wow, you really think I'm that shallow?" Naruto unclicked his belt, too, and it slowly retracted to the top. "Maybe you're the one that's scared. Ever think of that?"

Sasuke stopped smiling. "Maybe."

"Ah, don't do that." Naruto poked him in the arm. "I'm not givin' you a hard time. I'm just sayin'... I'm probably a lot more open-minded than you think. If you ever feel like trustin' me that is."

"If you knew how terrible I am with people, I think you'd be impressed with my recent progress."

Naruto leaned forward and then reached for the sunglasses. He pulled them off.

"That's better. I feel like I can learn more from your eyes than what you're actually sayin' sometimes."

"That's a little bit cheesy," said Sasuke.

"I don't mind. It's you, so it's fine if you know I have a cheesy side."

His lips parted. "How can you trust me so easily? We've only known each other less than a week."

Naruto shrugged. "It's intuition, I guess. Somethin' about you makes me find you easy to trust."

"Putting your trust blindly into people can be very dangerous."

"If you're a cynic," he replied. "But I prefer to be optimistic. For the most part anyway. Actually, I'd been a bit cynical lately. When I see you, though. I kinda wanna go back to bein' optimistic."

"...Why?"

"Dunno. So that we balance each other out?" Naruto grinned and slid on the glasses.

"Alright, Maverick," he said. "Let's get the stuff for your damn ramen."

Naruto chuckled and lightly punched the car roof. "Yay! Ramen!"

"Idiot. Get out of the car before you break something." Sasuke opened the door and walked around toward the trunk. When Naruto met him there, he waited for them to start walking together toward the store before smacking him on the back of the head.

"What was that for?" Naruto shoved into his side.

Sasuke smiled at him as he shoved him back. "Love tap," he replied. "Couldn't help it."


	6. Chapter 6

By the time Naruto and Sasuke returned from grocery shopping, it had been nearly two hours. Shopping with Naruto was an experience in itself. Half the time, Sasuke would be walking and, the next thing he knew, Naruto would disappear. He'd find him in a previous aisle, investigating labels, and squinting at the Japanese characters. On the other hand, Sasuke was not big on shopping, so he was the type to prefer doing errands as quickly as possible. It took a bribe of ice cream to get Naruto out of there. He had questions about everything, and when Sasuke didn't know the answer, Naruto would then go and harass the owner, even though he only spoke broken English.

After they drove to a larger chain store in a nearby outlet area, he left Naruto in charge of the s'mores, and not that Sasuke was particularly fond of hot dogs, he got a mixture of beef and turkey franks as well as a few buns (white for Naruto and wheat for him).

On the car ride home, Naruto chatted at him much more than during the ride there. Apparently all the shopping (or was it the ice cream?) put him in an incredibly good mood. Sasuke stored this information away for future reference. If he ever wanted to snap Naruto out of his more melancholy moods, all he need do is bribe him with junk food.

When they pulled into his neighborhood and he pushed the garage door button, it was then that he discovered his father was home. For some reason, he suddenly felt nervous about the prospect of Naruto meeting his dad, but he wasn't quite sure why.

"Is that your dad's car?" Naruto asked when they pulled into the garage.

"Yes." He glanced at Naruto. "Just to warn you, my father can be... a little stoic."

"I'm not worried," said Naruto. "I'm usually pretty good with parents."

"Well, just try not to make any fart jokes while we're eating lunch."

Naruto chuckled. "Why would I do that? Have I even made a fart joke since you've known me?"

"No, but that's what I'm saying. Don't choose now to make your comedic debut. It's in your best interest, trust me."

Naruto nodded. "I understand. I'll be on my best behavior." He saluted.

Once he'd given his disclaimer, the both of them retrieved the grocery bags from the back seat and brought them upstairs to the kitchen. Sasuke returned his mom's keys to the hook. She was already there, grabbing all kinds of pots and pans from several different cabinets.

"That was a long trip. I hope you two had fun," she said. "When you have time, Sasuke, your father would like to see you in the living room."

Sasuke set his bags on the counter, and Naruto did the same.

"We bought some things for tonight's bonfire," he said. "Do you want me to put everything away?"

"No, dear," said Mikoto. "Go say hello to your father first. If Naruto wants to afterward, I can teach him something about how to make ramen."

"Oh wow, really?" Naruto asked. "Can I help you chop stuff up?"

"Of course," she replied. "I'd appreciate the help."

"Are you sure y'don't want us to help you put the groceries away?" Naruto took the sunglasses off of his head and slipped them into his back pocket.

"Don't worry." Mikoto smiled. "I'll take care of it."

"Come on," said Sasuke, tugging on Naruto's sleeve. "I'll introduce you to my father."

Sasuke led the way to the living room, Naruto following close behind him. He still couldn't help but feel uneasy. Perhaps he could attribute it to that paranoia he tended to experience when things were going well. They found his father sitting on one of the recliners, reading today's newspaper.

"Hello, father."

Fugaku lowered the paper and, without much expression, looked at him first and then Naruto.

"Hello, sir," said Naruto.

"Naruto," said Sasuke, "This is my father, Fugaku. Dad, this is Naruto."

Setting down the newspaper, his father stood up and approached Naruto, extending his hand. Naruto took it and shook it firmly.

"Naruto," said Fugaku. "I've heard a lot about you this week. I hope Sasuke has been seeing to it that you're comfortable at our house. I apologize for not making your acquaintance last night."

"Thank you for allowing me to stay this weekend," said Naruto. "I really appreciate it. Sasuke showed me around the city yesterday. He's been takin' good care of me at school, too. He was the first one to give me a tour and show me where all my classrooms are."

"I'm glad to hear that," replied his father. "Sasuke's on student council, so I expect he often takes on leadership roles at school."

"Yeah." Naruto slid his hands into his pockets. "I've already noticed that everybody in our class, and even the older students always listen to what he has to say and respect him. You must be very proud to have such intelligent and talented sons."

Fugaku raised an eyebrow, and the corner of his mouth turned up into a smirk. "Indeed. Their mother and I have very high expectations for the both of them."

"And I'm sure they won't let you down," said Naruto.

"Sasuke." Fugaku's gaze shifted to him. "I'd appreciate it if you help your mother prepare lunch. I'm pleased that your friend has taken an interest in a traditional Japanese meal." He glanced at Naruto. "I often used to eat ramen as a child. I remember watching my mother make it. Sometimes I would help her chop the vegetables."

"Ah, really?" Naruto asked, with great interest. "I was gonna help out with that today. If that's alright." He nudged Sasuke in the side. "And if Sasuke deems it okay to let me near the knives."

"I'm not sure if you should be around sharp objects," Sasuke commented quietly. "But I'll keep a close watch."

"Is that so?" Fugaku asked. "I did hear an interesting rumor at work yesterday."

"Did you." Sasuke shared a look with Naruto, but the other boy seemed oblivious.

"I'm sure you can fill me in on the circumstances later. No use in discussing it now."

"Of course, father," he replied, and bowed his head slightly.

"Naruto," said Fugaku. "It's good to meet you. Please let us know if you need anything. It's not often Sasuke brings friends home, so we'd like to do our best not to scare you away."

"It was good to meet you, too," replied Naruto. "I think I have to worry more about scarin' Sasuke off, I'm sure. He's been pretty good to me so far, even if I'm sure I've only caused him trouble this week."

"Sasuke's a tough boy," Fugaku remarked. "I'm sure he can handle anything you throw his way. Also, I hear you're to be on the varsity baseball team? Very impressive for a sophomore."

"Yes, sir. It was the only way I could afford the tuition. They let me in on a scholarship. I like playin' the game, though, so I'm excited for practices to start."

"I've often told Sasuke he should go out for more sports, but he doesn't show much interest in anything besides track and martial arts. If he spent less time on music, then, perhaps, he'd have more access to scholarships once he applies to a university."

Sasuke glanced down at the carpet.

"Actually, I'm not sure there's anyone as athletic in our class as Sasuke. I can barely keep up with him, and between him havin' the highest scores in the class and track and bein' able to play instruments, I don't think he'll have a problem goin' anywhere he wants."

"Naruto," said Sasuke, already embarrassed and wishing he'd shut up. "There's no need to say all that."

"Why not?" Naruto was scowling. "Your dad should know that not only are you a friggin' genius and a great athlete, but you're also a decent guy. There are some jerks at the school, I can tell you that, but Sasuke's a good person. I thought so from the first day we met."

"I would hope that for the price of his education, there weren't so many _jerks_ at your boys' school, but I suppose, that there's something to learn when one encounters difficult characters or situations," said Fugaku. "But, thank you, Naruto. We've tried to instill both of our sons with a sense of right and wrong. I'm glad to hear that Sasuke's been accommodating you and living up to our expectations."

"We'll leave you to your newspaper, Dad," said Sasuke, and he grabbed Naruto by the wrist. "Come on. I'm sure mother is waiting for our help."

"Ah, yeah. I'm comin'. No need to drag me," complained Naruto.

When he and Naruto were about to enter the kitchen, the other boy pulled him to a stop.

"What was that about?" he asked Sasuke. "You got all quiet and weird."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, you do. I just wanted your dad to know what a good person you are, Sasuke."

"He does. My father shows his affection in his own way."

Naruto hummed disbelievingly. "What was he talkin' about when he mentioned rumors at work?"

"What, you don't remember Dosu's threat?"

"Oh. Shit." Naruto frowned and rubbed his temple. "That guy said he was gonna have his dad talk to your dad. He didn't seem mad, though. I mean, it's all on me. I'll explain that to him if he asks about it and make it clear you didn't have anything to do with it."

Sasuke was also frowning. "I'd rather you stay out of it altogether."

"I think you're bein' paranoid."

"It's a possibility."

"So are we gonna help your mom or not? I'm starvin'." He pushed Sasuke through to the kitchen.

"How can you be starving? We had a big breakfast three hours ago, and I bought you an ice cream cone."

"Yeah, but I have a fast metabolism, so I gotta eat all the time or I get tired."

"Good," said Sasuke. "Then maybe you'll take a nap and be quiet for a while."

"Why?" Naruto asked in a hushed voice, nudging Sasuke in the arm. "You just wanna cuddle again, don't you? You're so romantic. Never woulda expected that from you."

Sasuke glared, but he didn't bother replying since his mom noticed their arrival. She turned to them and held out an apron for Naruto. It was just this plain blue thing, no flowers, but it still caused him to let out a laugh at the other boy's expense.

"Here Naruto," Mikoto said. "If you're going to be chopping vegetables, you should wear this so you don't get anything on your nice sweater."

"You... want me to wear this?" Naruto asked and glanced at the apron like he was afraid of it.

Sasuke smirked at him. "You really would make the perfect little housewife in that."

"Hmph." Naruto took it and put it on. He struggled with tying it in the back. "I'm comfortable with my masculinity, so I don't mind wearin' a frilly apron."

"It's not that frilly, is it?" Mikoto asked. "I think it suits you well."

"No, ma'am," said Naruto. "It's just fine!"

"Let me help you with that." Mikoto finished tying it for him.

"Doesn't Sasuke have to wear one?" Naruto asked.

"Believe me, I've tried before," answered Mikoto. "He won't need one. We'll let him boil the noodles."

Naruto laughed. "That's a good job for him. Who can mess that up?"

Sasuke glared at them both. "Maybe I should leave you two alone? Since everyone in this household seems to take issue with my cooking skills."

"Don't be such a drama queen," Naruto told him. "You can help me chop stuff. I like workin' with you. Even when you can be such a jerk."

Surprising him, his mother chuckled to herself.

Even though he was sulking, he did join Naruto at the counter and proceeded to help him chop vegetables (he gave Sasuke the onion).

"You want to see me cry, don't you?" he asked.

"Hey, if I'm gonna wear this apron, then you can suffer the onion."

Since his mother was rinsing something out in the sink, Sasuke leaned into him and commented in a low voice, "If I'm honest. It doesn't look too bad on you."

Naruto snorted. "Pervert," he said. "Maybe I'll wear it to bed tonight."

"I wouldn't complain if you did."

"Not sure it would cover my ass, though."

"How awful," he remarked.

"Slacker," said Naruto. "Keep your mind on your work. If you get distracted while choppin' that onion and cut off a finger 'cause you're thinkin' of my ass, I'm not gonna feel very sorry for you."

"As if I'd have any interest in your _ass_."

"Tch. I have a _great_ ass."

"You _are_ an ass."

"Whatever, Uchiha. I already know you love my company."

Sasuke didn't say anything as it was obviously a rhetorical comment. Not that it was entirely inaccurate, but there was no point in admitting it. Instead, he decided to enjoy the domestic moment and, after a while, Naruto began a whole other conversation about some fellow students while they shared the job of chopping the garlic, ginger, and leeks.

Behind them, his mom bustled around, and when they were finished with the vegetables, she told Naruto about the various kinds of broth you could make and the bases for each - salt, soy sauce, miso. Typically, she stocked up on broths from previous meals, so they could use some of the pork broth they already had in the pantry. Sasuke had seen his mother do this plenty of times, so he wasn't nearly as interested in the process as Naruto. He decided to leave the two of them to bond while he went in search of Itachi. His father was in the living room, watching Fox News, which was unfortunate. He found his brother in the basement playing Grand Theft Auto.

"Did you give up on playing the chef?" Itachi asked as Sasuke took a seat on the sofa.

"It was getting a little crowded in there. Plus, Naruto seems to enjoy being with our mother."

"That's kind of you to give them some bonding time. I think mother likes your friend very much."

"I can't tell if father feels similarly."

"If you can't tell, then it probably means he doesn't dislike him."

"Maybe," he replied. "Are you going to let me play?"

"No."

He watched Itachi's character on the screen shoot at a police officer. "Naruto and I are thinking of having a bonfire tonight."

"Oh? Maybe I should invite some of my friends over, or would we be imposing?" Itachi glanced over his shoulder and smirked.

"Do what you want."

"Maybe we'll hang out for a while before we go into the city again. Naruto doesn't want to do more exploring?"

Sasuke drew his feet up onto the couch and adjusted the bottom of his pantleg. "I didn't ask, but he seems as though he's enjoying just hanging out here. He was excited about the bonfire. He's forcing me to make s'mores."

"Forcing you, hm?" Itachi chuckled. "I'm sure he really had to twist your arm. I've seen the way you two are."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean that for once you're showing interest in someone outside of yourself. Doing what Naruto wants to do, thinking about his comfort and needs, and putting them before your own. You know what that means, don't you?"

Sasuke didn't reply, but he did pick up a pillow from off the couch and throw it at his brother.

"I'll take that as you know exactly what it means. By the way, is there a particular reason you asked about Yahiko being in town?"

Sasuke nearly choked on his spit before he was able to reply in a steady voice, "No. I just hadn't heard from him in a while."

"I see. I thought maybe you had a crush on one of my closest friends." Turning off the console and TV, Itachi stood up from the chair, put it back into place and walked - with his hands in his pockets - over to the couch.

"Make up your mind," said Sasuke. "I thought it was Naruto I had feelings for."

"Why can't you have feelings for both? But let me remind you that the majority of my friends are at least five years older than you, and if any of them were to lay a finger on you, I would obviously have to castrate them, kill them, and bury their bodies somewhere."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Very charming. As if my standards are so low that I'd be interested in any of your friends."

"That's good to hear. Naruto, on the other hand, is a great match for you."

"I wish you'd stop talking about this," he said. "Besides, I already told you that Naruto's not interested in boys."

"He seems interested in you, though. I heard what he said to father. He's very protective of you."

"He was also very protective of Sai." Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"True." Itachi rubbed his chin.

Less than a minute later, they heard someone stomping down the stairs, and because it sounded as loud as a herd of elephants, it was clear that it was Naruto.

"Yo." He stopped at the foot of the stairs, smiling broadly when he spotted Itachi. "Good to see you again. Any big plans for tonight?"

"Not big plans, no. Maybe going to a bar or two later on with some people I know."

"That's cool. I wish we were old enough to get into bars."

"I'm sure I could figure something out if you really wanted to go, but it's nothing especially exciting."

"Really?" Naruto came over and plopped on the couch, right next to Sasuke even though there was plenty of room for him to sit on the other end. "I think it would be fun. You probably have pretty cool friends, eh?"

"What makes you say that?" Itachi asked, sounding amused.

"Uh, because _you're_ a cool guy?"

"See, I told you he'll compliment anyone," said Sasuke.

"Yes, it does seem he's a natural flirt," remarked Itachi.

"I am not a _flirt_," argued Naruto. He turned to Sasuke. "I am not _flirting_ with your brother. That would be weird."

"You think?" Sasuke asked him and gave him a shove. "Do you have to sit right on top of me?"

"Yes," said Naruto. "Because I know it bugs you."

"You smell like soy sauce," Sasuke told him.

"Well, I'm sorry that I was busy slavin' over this awesome lunch your mom and I are makin' for you."

Sasuke smirked. "Mom had Naruto wear an apron."

"Did she?" Itachi crossed his arms against his chest and smiled. "She did always want a daughter, I think. Perhaps we really can adopt Naruto into the family. If you had been a younger brother of ours, we would've dressed you up in lacy pink dresses and put bows in your hair."

Naruto laughed. "Isn't that what you did with Sasuke?"

Sasuke glared at him. "Are you saying that for the reasons I think you are?"

"Why not? You have a very pretty face. Like a girl."

Sasuke glared even harder. "Do you remember what happened with Dosu? Would you like me to do that to you?"

Naruto stopped laughing. "No, not really. I thought you were gonna break his arms off."

"Maybe because you're blond, I should assume that you're very stupid."

"You already call me stupid all the time!" cried Naruto.

"But not because you're blond."

Naruto began to scowl and make little huffing noises.

"He's going to pout now," Sasuke told his brother. "It's what he does when I've offended him."

"It seems as though the two of you are getting to know each other quite well. Naruto," questioned Itachi. "Sasuke says you're having a bonfire tonight. I was wondering if it would be alright for me to invite some friends? We won't stay long, but I think they'd enjoy meeting a good friend of Sasuke's since they aren't used to him having any."

"Good friend?" Sasuke mumbled, and Naruto punched him in the arm.

"Sure! That would be great," said Naruto. "I'd like to meet your friends. We bought enough stuff for hot dogs and s'mores to feed the whole neighborhood."

"I do love a good s'more. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll give them a call and see if they're available."

"Alright, cool," said Naruto, and they both watched Itachi head up the stairs.

After he was gone, Sasuke smacked him in the back of the head.

"Ow, what the hell was that for?" Naruto glared at him.

"I don't know. A few things."

"You're such a jerk to me sometimes."

"It's how I show my affection," Sasuke replied.

Naruto leaned against the couch and yawned; Sasuke glanced back at him.

"You tired?"

Naruto nodded. "A little. All that grocery shoppin' and cookin' kinda made me sleepy."

"You could take a nap."

"Don't wanna." He closed his eyes and rubbed his lips together, settling his hands on top of his stomach.

"You look like you're about to fall asleep."

"Lean back with me," said Naruto. "Against the couch."

"I don't respond well to people telling me what to do," he replied softly.

Naruto cracked open an eye, grabbed a hold of his sleeve, and pulled him backward to where their sides touched - shoulders, arms, thighs. It was always a little bit distracting for him when there was physical contact between them. Still, it was pleasant and warm and he was reminded of when he woke up in bed with Naruto in his arms.

"Are you sure you don't want to go into the city tonight?" Sasuke asked. "I could even drive us so that we don't have to take the bus."

"Only if you want," he said. "It's fine with me if we stay here. Makes me feel relaxed."

"You look relaxed."

"Thanks again for last night," Naruto murmured.

Sasuke shut his eyes, breathing in deeply through his nose. "It was nothing."

"It was something," said Naruto, "To me. It meant something."

Sasuke chewed on his lip, eyes cracking open. Naruto's hand rested on his thigh, and he thought about reaching for it. "When are you going to tell me why you punched your hand through a window?"

"Nothin' to tell. I got angry, so I punched the glass. Had to get some stitches."

"Why did you get angry?"

"Why are you askin' so many questions?" Naruto's eyes opened, and he stared at Sasuke curiously.

"Because," he said. "I want to know more about you. What made you angry enough to hurt yourself."

"It's not like I did it purposely to hurt myself. I'd had another stupid fight with my dad. I didn't really wanna move here 'cause all my friends are back in Illinois, but he seemed to think it was best for the both of us. I think he just didn't wanna be reminded of Mom all the time, y'know?"

"I haven't met your dad yet," said Sasuke, "But I imagine he really did think it was best for you to get away."

"Yeah, well. Like you said, you don't know my dad, so I wouldn't go assumin' stuff."

"Naruto," he said. "Rather than be angry all the time, wouldn't it be easier to... talk about it sometimes?"

"I'm tired of talkin' about it," said Naruto. He sat up on the edge of the couch, hunched over, and arms drawn to his lap. "That was part of the condition for lettin' me into the school. I had to _talk_ about it to people. How do you think I'm so familiar with the nurses?"

Sasuke sucked in a breath. "Sorry. I didn't know."

"Well, why would you? Who wants to tell people they've gotta see a shrink or whatever. I mean, Jesus, my mom died. Did they expect me to just bounce back like nothin' ever happened?" He looked behind him at Sasuke, expression angry and full of hurt.

"Maybe it's because you sometimes put up a front. All of the jokes and pranks in class. The laughing and the smiling."

"What am I supposed to do?" Naruto asked, getting even more angry. "Sit around and cry all day? Feel sorry for myself? I _did_ cry, and I ran away, and it didn't change anything. It wasn't gonna bring her back."

"Okay," he said simply. "No one's expecting you to act a certain way. There's no defined way of handling grief, Naruto. I'm sure it's very difficult."

Naruto released a frustrated breath. "Sorry. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

Sasuke grabbed the back of Naruto's sweater and gave it a tug. "Relax. It was much warmer when you were next to me." He gave another tug, and Naruto was back against the couch again.

"Are you tryin' to take advantage of me when I'm all vulnerable?" Naruto asked, smirking.

"No," he said. "I'm just trying to keep warm. You're like a furnace."

Naruto chuckled. "I'm hot-blooded, I think. Told you you wanted to cuddle me."

"This isn't exactly cuddling."

"Only 'cause we're on the couch. If we were on the bed, I bet you'd totally wanna spoon me again. Or," he nudged Sasuke, "I could spoon you."

"Hn. As if I'd let a brute like you spoon me. You're too rough."

"M'not," said Naruto, and he leaned his head on Sasuke's shoulder. "I can be gentle."

"Can you?" he asked in a low voice.

"I guess I wouldn't mind takin' a nap before lunch. Your mom said it would be another hour or so."

"If you want. You know where the bedroom is."

Naruto reached for his sleeve and tugged at it, causing Sasuke's arm to rise and fall, and then rise again only to let it drop.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked him.

"Physical contact calms me down."

Sasuke smirked. "Is that so? In that case, I can think of ways we can occupy our time."

Naruto chuckled darkly. "I bet you can. I suppose I could be talked into a little makin' out. Maybe you need the experience. How many guys have you kissed anyway?"

"Two," he answered.

"Really? I expected more."

"That two includes you."

"Oh." Naruto lifted his head to look at him. "Really?"

"Why. How many girls have you kissed?"

"A few, I'd say." Naruto frowned. "Is it hard to find, y'know, other guys to kiss. Like, how do you know if a guy is gay?"

"How did you know Sai was gay?"

"Well, for starters, the first conversation we had, he kept askin' questions about my penis."

Sasuke chuckled. "That sounds like him."

"Wow, so your first sexual experience was also your first kiss?"

"Well, I did go to this summer camp once when I was 12, but I'm not sure I can count that as a proper kiss. I suppose we could say I've kissed..." He counted on his fingers while Naruto watched. "Four."

"Wow, you slut." Naruto grinned. "Was it band camp?"

"Math camp actually."

Naruto laughed some more. "Nerd."

"I am Asian, after all. It's what we do."

"That's racist!"

"Put your head back on my shoulder," he said.

"Tch. Bossy." But Naruto rested his head there again. "Thought we were gonna go take a nap."

"I got distracted when you offered lessons on making out."

"I don't think you need lessons based on when you kissed me at school."

"Is that so?" Sasuke nudged the top of Naruto's head with his chin. "Was it good for you?"

"Not sure. I was too busy bein' shocked. I kinda thought you were just fuckin' with me. And then I thought, wow, he's really desperate to get me to shut up."

Sasuke hummed. "I don't know why I did that. I've never done anything like that before."

"Except at nerd camp," Naruto pointed out.

"That's not what I meant."

"I know." Naruto sighed. "I have a confession to make."

"Mm?"

"The more I hang out with you... the more I feel like there are all these different sides to you, and I have a hard time findin' one that I don't like."

"That's not much of a confession," said Sasuke, though he couldn't deny his heart began to beat faster hearing this. "Confessions are usually something like... I enjoy wearing women's clothes, or I stole $20 from my mother's wallet."

"Odd," said Naruto. "It felt like a confession somehow."

"You do tend to see the best in people. I imagine there's not many people you don't like."

"I don't like those asshole juniors," said Naruto. "If you hadn't come in, I woulda kicked the shit out of them."

"Then you definitely would've been expelled," replied Sasuke. "No matter how close you are with the staff."

"I'm sure you would've saved me somehow."

"I'm not really sure I'm the best one for that job." He gave his own sigh, which caused Naruto's hair to rustle.

"I dunno. You say you're not good at comfort, but you were pretty damn good at it last night."

"That was the first time I ever really tried," said Sasuke. "Giving comfort is awkward for me. I'm not as good with people as you are."

"I think you are. You just have your own way of doin' it." Naruto gave another yawn.

"Should I take you to bed?" Sasuke asked and patted Naruto's thigh.

"Heh. You said it that way on purpose."

"Possibly."

"Maybe if you say it one more time, but in a sexy voice."

"Alright." Sasuke turned his head, resting it against Naruto's. In a significantly lower voice, he asked again, "Should I take you to bed, Naruto?"

"Even comin' from a guy that's still pretty hot." He wiggled a bit, so Sasuke let him up, but Naruto didn't move off the couch right away.

Sasuke was smirking because there was a hint of a blush on the other boy's cheeks. It made him look... very ravageable. He reached over and swept Naruto's bangs out of his eyes. Naruto's lips parted at the gesture.

"Stop seducing me," Naruto mumbled.

"Why?" he asked. "Is it working?"

Naruto bit his lip. "Kinda."

There was a sudden rush of warmth throughout his body. Sasuke could only stare at him for a while, feeling as though if he did anything at this point, it would include pushing Naruto down onto this couch and kissing him breathless.

"What are you thinkin' right now?" Naruto asked. "You've got a look."

"It might be best I not tell you what I'm thinking."

Was it just him or was there an incredible amount of chemistry between them right now? Naruto refused to get up, and Sasuke sure as hell was going to prolong the contact as long as he possibly could.

In fact, before he could help himself, he began to lean in. Naruto's eyes were open, but they started to slip shut as he moved in closer -

But then the stairs creaked, and Sasuke was quick to back away and put distance between them. Not more than 10 seconds later, his dad appeared in the basement doorway. He looked from him to Naruto.

"What are you two doing down here with the lights and TV off?" He asked.

"We were talking," Sasuke answered quietly. "Naruto's tired, so he was thinking about taking a nap. I told him he could have the bed."

"Is that so?" asked Fugaku. "Are you not feeling well, Naruto?"

Naruto cleared his throat, sitting up straighter. "No, sir. I feel fine. It's just been a long week. It's the first weekend I've had in a while where I've been able to sleep in."

"Sleep is important for young boys," said his father. "Why don't you lie down before lunch? You do look pale. Have Sasuke bring you some tea."

"Tea would be great," said Naruto. "I think that'd help a lot."

Sasuke finally found the ability to stand up. "Come on," he told Naruto. "I'll make you some tea and make sure you're comfortable."

Naruto looked at him first before nodding. "Sure."

Sasuke pulled him to his feet. He bowed his head at his father and said goodbye. Naruto followed him up the stairs.

"I'll get your tea," Sasuke mumbled.

"You don't have to," Naruto replied, although they went into the kitchen anyway.

Sasuke remained frazzled, but Naruto fell into a conversation with his mother as if nothing had happened. Or, maybe Sasuke had imagined it all in his head? Hadn't it seemed like Naruto would've let himself be kissed? Crap, though. If his father would've come down even just a minute later...

Without really thinking, he set the kettle on the stove. There was only one burner left with all the other pots still being used for the ramen. It smelled amazing, and his stomach even rumbled. Without asking Naruto which type of tea he preferred, Sasuke found a bag of his favorite and set it in the mug.

When Naruto slid up against him after a few minutes, he nearly jumped.

"Sasuke," Naruto whispered. "You're not very good at coverin' up how you feel. You look like a nervous wreck."

"I'm sorry I'm not a master of disguising my emotions like you are."

Naruto frowned. "It's not like he walked in on anything that can't be explained. Nothing even happened."

Sasuke shook his head. "Let's not talk about this here."

"You always say that. You always say you don't wanna talk about it, but maybe we should talk about it."

"Fine," he snapped. "But not here. Later."

"Alright. By the way, the kettle's whistlin', you might wanna take it off?"

Sasuke hadn't even noticed, but he quickly turned off the burner and poured the boiling water into the mug. Because his hand was shaking, he accidentally spilled some of it on his own fingers.

"Jeez," Naruto said, and took the kettle from him. "Go run your fingers under the water. I can do this."

Sasuke glared at him, but Naruto gave him a push toward the sink.

"Are you alright, Sasuke?" asked his mom. "Did you burn yourself?"

"I'm fine, mother."

"Are you sure there's nothin' else we can help you with for the ramen?" Naruto asked. "Sasuke and I were thinkin' about a quick nap. Or, well. Now I'm not so tired, so maybe we could go for a run or somethin' since it's so nice outside."

"There's definitely time for either," said Mikoto. "I'll call you when lunch is ready. It should be another hour. I'm sure you're hungry, too. Since we're eating so late!"

"I'm fine," said Naruto. "I had a lotta pancakes."

When Sasuke turned off the water, Naruto walked by and grabbed him by the wrist.

"Come on, Sasuke. I'm gonna have to borrow some clothes to run in."

Sasuke found himself being dragged to his bedroom. He didn't even have time to protest as Naruto rushed him inside and closed the door behind them.

"What's all this about?" Sasuke asked.

"You and I," said Naruto. "Should probably have a talk. But we're gonna go for a run first, 'cause I sure as hell need to clear my head, and I bet you do, too. Now, what do you have that's gonna fit me 'cause your ass is way fatter than mine, and I don't want my shorts fallin' down while we're runnin' around your neighborhood. Your neighbors might complain, and then you might _really_ be in trouble with your dad."


	7. Chapter 7

After digging around in his dresser, Sasuke found some longer Under Armour shorts for himself and Naruto. He tossed him a shirt if he wanted it, too. Sasuke usually ran without one when he was only jogging around the neighborhood. He changed quickly, and before Naruto had even slipped off his sweater, Sasuke mumbled something about going to ask Itachi if they could borrow his MP3 player. He didn't give Naruto enough time to respond before he was out the door.

He ended up finding Itachi in his room, on the computer.

"Going for a run?" Itachi asked.

"Yeah. Can Naruto borrow your iPod and armband? We're just going around the neighborhood."

"Sure, of course." He opened one of the desk drawers and pulled it out. It was all nicely tied together with the earbud wires. "Are you alright? You're sweating a lot."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I'm fine. Are your friends coming tonight?"

"Yes, a few of them. Is that alright?"

He glanced at the blank screen on the MP3 player. "Yeah, I think that would be good. By the way," he looked up at his brother. "If father mentions anything strange to you, about... me or Naruto, will you let me know?"

"Sasuke," Itachi shut his laptop. "Is there something I should know about?"

He sighed. "I'm not sure. He mentioned he wanted to talk about a rumor he heard at work. I assume it's about the fight Naruto got into. The boy he punched was the son of his boss."

"I see. I thought maybe you meant he walked in on the two of you doing something inappropriate."

Sasuke averted his gaze.

"Really, now? Do tell."

Sasuke glared at him. "When did you decide to start acting like a gossiping teenage girl?"

"I assure you women gossip at all ages, not just when they're in high school. I won't ask any more questions, but if father mentions anything to me, I'll let you know. Or, you could tell him that you prefer boys. Wouldn't that make life so much easier?"

"Maybe if you want me to be kicked out of the house, sure. Just do what I asked you to for once."

"Only if you ask me nicely." Itachi smirked, which was fucking irritating because he knew how upsetting it was for him to have to keep this a secret.

Before he could give him a scathing reminder, there was a knock on the door.

"Sasuke, are you in there?" Without waiting for an answer, Naruto opened the door and peeked his head in. "There you are, I've been waitin' for, like, five minutes now."

"Naruto, why don't you come inside here and close the door behind you?" asked Itachi.

"Sure." Naruto came in and shut the door. He went to stand beside Sasuke.

"You wouldn't let anything happen to my only little brother, would you?" Itachi asked him.

"Itachi, shut up," said Sasuke.

"Uh, not if I could help it?" Naruto crossed his arms. "Why, what's up?" He looked back and forth between the two brothers.

"Nothing," said Sasuke. "My brother likes to make a habit of sticking his nose in my business."

"He is your brother, Sasuke," Naruto pointed out matter-of-factly as if it was a perfectly valid explanation.

Sasuke glared at him, too. "Here," he shoved the MP3 player at Naruto. "I'll get mine and then we can go." He walked toward the door and stopped. "Do you want a bottled water?"

"Nah, I should be okay."

He left the room. Naruto didn't follow him out, and he almost felt wary of leaving the two of them alone. Naruto wasn't the type to run his mouth, though, so he knew he wouldn't say anything he didn't need to, even if Itachi interrogated him. Still, he went quickly to get his own MP3 player and armband. He also grabbed Naruto's pair of sunglasses he'd left on top of the dresser. By the time he put on the armband and left the bedroom, Naruto was in the entranceway slipping on his orange and black sneakers.

"Here," he said, handing Naruto the glasses. "Thought you might want these."

"Ah, thanks." Naruto took them and set them atop his head.

Sasuke informed his mother that they were going for a run, and then she waved them off and told them to be careful of traffic. They went out through the front door. Naruto was fumbling with the armband, so Sasuke helped attach it.

"Did you and my brother talk about anything special?" he asked.

"Not really," answered Naruto. "What was that about anyway? Did you tell him about your dad walkin' in on us? I still don't think it's that big of a deal."

"I thought we were going to talk about it after we run."

"Sure," said Naruto, putting in the earbuds. "If that's what you want."

"Hopefully you'll find something in his music you'll like. He's into a lot of classic rock."

"That's cool. I like classic rock. I'll look through and find somethin'." He did just that, searching through the categories until he apparently found what he wanted. Sasuke was busy searching through his own (a mix of alternative stuff like The Prodigy, System of a Down, and Rage Against the Machine), and then he was ready.

"I figure in about 50 minutes we can do about 15 laps around the road surrounding the gated part of the community."

"Sure. Whatever you want. Is it gonna distract you if I take my shirt off?" Naruto asked while smirking.

"I'm not in the mood."

That came out more callous than he'd intended. What he'd meant to say was that he wasn't really in the mood to banter like they usually did because he was feeling a little shitty to say the least.

Naruto blinked at him. "I was only kidding."

Sasuke stared at him and bit his lip. "Sorry," he said. "I... in case you haven't noticed, I have some issues with my father. I don't like the idea of disappointing him."

"I guess I don't see how bein' yourself would disappoint him."

"I think you do know," he said. "But you don't want to believe it. Even so, that's the reality of it."

"I'm not gonna tell you what to do with your life," Naruto replied. "But I can tell you that I'm here if you wanna talk about it. Plus, I'm always gonna be on your side. No matter what."

For the first time in the last 15 minutes, Sasuke smiled, though it was tentative. "I suppose if you _really_ want to, you can take off your shirt."

Naruto grinned back at him. "Should I run a few feet in front of you, too? So you can check out my ass?"

He squinted at him in the sunlight. "If you think you can keep up the pace."

"I've never had anyone question my stamina before," Naruto remarked, and taking out the earbuds, he pulled his shirt off over his head, folded it, and set it on the porch. "Ready?"

Sasuke swept his gaze down Naruto's chest. The black shorts he gave him hung low on his waist. He looked up when he heard Naruto's laughter.

"What?"

Naruto slid the sunglasses down. "Nothin'. Sometimes I think bein' with you has really caused my self-confidence to spike. Even as many times as you call me stupid and say I'm only _physically tolerable_, and that I'm not your type. Oh, and that thing you said where you wouldn't even kiss me if someone paid you."

"Did I say all of that?" He smirked and saw his reflection in the lenses of the glasses.

"Tch. Jerk." Naruto shook his head. "I'm takin' off. Try to keep up with me, old man." He started jogging down the driveway.

Sasuke followed after him. "Old man?" He asked. "When is your birthday exactly?"

"October," replied Naruto. "October 10. When's yours?"

"July 23," he answered.

Talking about their birthdays reminded him of what Naruto had said about his first time being around then. Sasuke had last gone to Stanford around Labor Day, so it was interesting that their first times occurred about a month apart, even though he'd at least been 16 by then. Naruto'd been even younger. It didn't mean much to him in the scheme of things, but, somehow, it felt like it put them on an even playing field in terms of experience.

Once they were out of his driveway and following the long road that looped around the entirety of the neighborhood, he turned on his music. Naruto had probably done the same already. They were running side by side, at a decent pace. Every once in a while, he glanced at the other boy out of the corner of his eye. Naruto's expression was focused. He was hardly sweating. Even with the sun out, the temperature was cool. However, after about 10 minutes, it could easily start to feel like a sauna. Looking at Naruto, he was a light olive in complexion, with no visible tanlines. He wondered if he'd get even darker during the summer months.

Sasuke knew he was being kind of obvious at this point and tried to stop checking the other teen out. He was used to running beside Naruto while he was in his gym clothes, but with those tighter shorts hugging the muscles of his thighs, calves, and ass, it was slightly distracting. Add on the fact that he was shirtless and extremely well built... Wasn't the whole point of them coming out here so that he could clear his head?

Surely, they would need to talk, but they could do it later when they were guaranteed privacy. Unfortunately, living in a house with three other people – that could prove difficult. He didn't want them to get interrupted again, and, dammit, now he was starting to think about being downstairs on the couch with Naruto. How much he'd wanted to kiss him then. How it looked like Naruto would've let him and maybe been a willing participant. What did that mean anyway? Had he just been caught up in the moment, too? Did it mean something to him at all? Or was Sasuke the only one who felt something here?

Shit. This wasn't helping.

He turned up the volume on the music until it became impossible to think. Except, seconds later, Naruto sped up to where he was a few feet in front, and, knowingly, looked over his shoulder to flash a smirk. Sasuke glared at him, causing the other boy to laugh. He did, however, allow his gaze to linger on Naruto's backside for a minute or two before he decided to catch up.

So much for this being a relaxing workout that could help him stop thinking about Naruto and all things sexual. At this rate, he wouldn't have much choice other than to relieve some serious tension with a shower. What if he started fantasizing about Naruto joining him in there, a lot like the dream that occurred after the first day they'd met? Except, maybe instead of Naruto pressing him against the wall, they could reverse their positions, and he could capture Naruto's lips as he used his hand to bring him off. Like what happened on the couch, Naruto's lids would lower as he looked at him, and he'd ask Sasuke to say something sexy in his ear...

_Fuck_.

As if it wasn't already hard enough to be a gay teenager, the universe had to go and throw someone like Naruto his way.

He let Naruto continue to take the lead for a while, especially because all of his dirty thoughts were starting to have an effect on his...shorts.

But, thankfully Naruto was too competitive to even notice him lagging, so he seemed content to stay ahead of him.

* * *

When they got back from running, Sasuke tried to keep it casual as he searched around for some clothes to wear after maybe not so subtly insisting that he shower first.

"What? But I stink. And I take way shorter showers than you do," argued Naruto. At least he'd put his (Sasuke's actually) shirt back on, but there were still sweat stains around the chest and collar.

Sasuke kept having to shoo him out of the way. Naruto was decent enough not to try and sit on any of his furniture. There were other showers, one attached to his parents' bedroom, and one next to Itachi's, but he also didn't like the idea of them showering at the same time.

"Why are you bein' weird?" Naruto asked. "I don't think you even spoke a word to me in the last 15 minutes we were running."

"I was concentrating," Sasuke replied exasperatedly.

"Is this because you don't wanna talk to me about stuff? I'm not gonna hound you about it. Hell, we don't even have to talk about anything if it's that big of a deal."

Sasuke sighed as he stared at the pile of clothes he'd collected and set on the corner of the bed. "What do you want to talk about exactly?"

"Er..."

"That's what I thought."

"Fine," Naruto huffed and started taking off his shirt. "Go shower. What do I care?"

Sasuke was torn between ogling him again and the desire to somehow comfort him. Tell him he wasn't angry or avoiding him and that he _did_ want to talk, but he was also about 10 seconds away from a certain inconvenience. Naruto, perhaps without realizing it, began yanking down his shorts right in front of him.

Almost in a panic, he mumbled something totally incoherent, grabbed his things, and practically ran into the bathroom. He leaned against the door, immediately locking it.

What the hell was wrong with him? He was embarrassing himself. It was probably his fault for letting it build up. He'd spent all of Friday with Naruto, they'd shared the damn bed, he'd practically molested Naruto in the middle of the night, and then the almost kiss on the couch. Then, watching that stupid blond prance around in a near state of nakedness for 50 minutes -

Sasuke took a deep breath. Hormones fucking sucked. For the most part, he was a very rational and reserved person. He should be somewhat above basic human urges. Then again, isn't that how he lost his virginity in the first place? Truthfully, all he really needed to think about in order to calm down was his father nearly walking in on him and Naruto. What his dad had said about him wasting his time on music...how nothing was ever good enough.

He bit his lip as he set his clothes on the corner of the sink.

And... that should do it.

Sasuke got in the shower, without the slightest inclination to do more than wash himself. Maybe this thing with Naruto would go away. Maybe there wasn't anything to talk about. He should tell him it was a dumb mistake, and he'd just been caught up in the moment. If he'd ever entertained the thought Naruto would've kissed him back, it was all in his head. In fact, he started to convince himself that what Naruto_really_ wanted to talk about was how much he didn't appreciate Sasuke always coming on to him.

It was stupid to ever think Naruto could be interested in someone like him. He was a nice person, much nicer than Sasuke could ever pretend to be. He probably didn't even know how to tell Sasuke that it made him uncomfortable. Not to mention Naruto was straight. He flirted with girls, he talked about girls, he never did anything more than tease. There'd never been an indication that Naruto could like another boy.

Resolved to make it clear that it didn't mean anything, or at least to _pretend_ none of it meant anything, Sasuke felt as though a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Suddenly, the hot water falling on his tired body felt relaxing. He could breathe, and nothing was lost because he was convinced Naruto had never felt anything more than friendship toward him.

And that was okay.

Because high school was only a preliminary step toward whatever path his father wanted him to follow. So long as he understood that, then everyone would be happy. All he had to do was go back to the person he was before Naruto showed up in homeroom with that stupid smile that only faltered when he spoke of his mom or if he got his feelings hurt, and those stupid blue eyes that let him know when he was happy or sad or angry, and that dumb blond hair that felt so soft between his fingers... and that even dumber laugh of his that caused his stomach to flip and his heart to race.

It was a stupid infatuation with someone who could never love him back, and considering the coward he was, he, frankly, couldn't blame Naruto in the slightest for not being able to love someone like him that way.

He'd always been okay with being gay on a personal level, but this was the first time he wanted to be anything else. It was difficult and unfair... why was it so easy for _them_? For Naruto to so easily flirt with a girl in class and no one gave a shit, but if someone like him found someone he liked... and pursued it... wouldn't he end up like Sai? With someone telling him he was a cocksucking faggot?

Wouldn't it be so fitting if the first person to say that to his face was his father?

Before he knew it, Sasuke's knees buckled and his legs gave out from underneath him. He caught himself on the edge of the tub, but only after banging his elbow against the metal part of the shower door. With the water hitting his face, he shakily lowered himself to the shower floor. Sasuke hugged his knees to his chest and rested his head on his arms. It had been a long, long time that he'd ever felt sorry for himself.

Even longer since he'd cried.

This wasn't the outlet he'd been expecting for himself.

But there it was. And the shower would turn out not to be as short as he'd promised Naruto.

* * *

After maybe 15 minutes of sitting there, thinking absolutely nothing, and feeling only the water as it started to turn cold, Sasuke rose to his feet, turned off the shower, and wrapped the towel around his waist. He picked up his clothes and walked across the hall into his bedroom. He didn't so much as make eye contact with Naruto, who was sitting on his desk chair, clad only in some boxers.

"Hey, I thought you said you'd be - "

Sasuke looked at him, and it was enough to make Naruto stop mid-sentence.

"What's wrong?" Naruto got up from the chair, but seeing him worried only pissed Sasuke off.

"Nothing," he said. "I thought you wanted to take a shower."

"Sasuke." Naruto's gaze dropped. "What the hell did you do to your elbow?" He snatched Sasuke's arm to get a better look at it.

Sasuke yanked it out of his hold. "Haven't you heard of personal space? You're as bad as Sai."

"What?" Naruto tried to reach for him again. "You're bleeding. Did you cut yourself? Let me - "

"Shut up, Naruto. And just..." He was so _angry_. A part of him knew it wasn't Naruto's fault, but who else could he blame? "Can you just... please go take a shower. I want to get dressed."

Naruto searched his face before nodding. "Okay. But... at least take care of that."

It felt like Naruto was pitying him. He felt sorry for Sasuke. Wasn't it enough that he already felt like a fucking failure for feeling sorry for himself? Naruto had to feel sorry for him, too?

"You're just like Itachi," he accused angrily. "You never mind your own goddam business. Why do you all try to tell me what to do?"

"Sasuke," said Naruto. He looked hurt and confused. "Fine. Obviously you need some space, so I'll let you have it." Without looking at Sasuke again, he grabbed his clothes and left the bedroom, shutting the door - not with a slam - but a quiet click.

Sasuke stared at the door, and then he sat down on the foot of the bed. He lay back on the comforter, not knowing what the fuck was wrong with him, and covered his eyes with his hands. He decided not to let the moment last much longer before he got dressed and, very decidedly, went in search of his father.

* * *

Sasuke found him in the garage. His father had a passion for wood carvings. It had been a hobby of his for a long time. He remembered hearing a story about his grandfather having been a toy maker in a small village in the southern part of Japan - until he joined the military at the start of World War II. Despite his American citizenship, despite the fact they were living in America, his father was still very nationalistic, very proud of his own father for flying warplanes and bombing the Allies.

As a family, they'd traveled to Japan together. Itachi had spent several summers with their cousin's family. He'd always thought that his dad's pride, his traditionalist ways... it was all a product of the conservative Japanese culture he grew up in. Sasuke had also grown up in a similar environment, even though they lived a very Western lifestyle.

It was complicated at times for him to be a Japanese-American, to live under the thumb of his father, to be a teenager, and to be gay. It was slightly easier when Itachi lived at home, but clearly it was becoming harder to keep up the facade. He always thought that if he could endure it, at least until college, it would be worth it. He didn't want to disappoint his father. It's not as if what Naruto told him earlier hadn't ever occurred to him. Why would a father love a son any less for being himself?

But. If he loved his father, if he loved his family... why would he want to fracture that for the sake of his own desire for happiness or to express himself? When you come from a culture that doesn't think like that, when the individual isn't nearly as important as the group, it wasn't his place to put his needs before others', especially not his family whom he loved. Because, Sasuke had never once hated his father. He had never once resented him. He used to think that Itachi was the favorite son - and of course being the eldest in Japanese culture was significant - but there had always seemed to be higher expectations for his brother. However, eventually Sasuke came to realize that it was not necessarily the case. That the reason his father had such high expectations for them, for _him_, was because he wanted what was best for his sons. He'd lived a hard life, as had his father, and family pride was very important to the Uchiha.

Sasuke knew all this. He knew. He also knew what Naruto had meant, too.

However, just like the past few days where he'd entertained the idea of getting closer to Naruto - the likelihood of being able to set down his own path in this world... it was all delusional. It could never happen so long as his father existed in this world, and Sasuke would _never_ wish for anything to happen to either of his parents.

For the same reason he refused to come out to them.

Sometimes he thought maybe he'd rather die than disappoint them.

It was the first time it occurred to him why Naruto punched that window. Funny how it was so very clear now.

"Father," said Sasuke when Fugaku set the sander onto the workbench and removed his protective glasses. "You wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Did you have a good run?" Asked his Dad. "You must have just come out of the shower. You should have dried your hair, Sasuke. I wouldn't want you to catch cold. Weren't you not feeling well earlier this week?"

Unconsciously, Sasuke drew his arm to his chest, covering his elbow with his other hand. "I'm fine."

"Is Naruto feeling better?"

"Yes, he's fine. I think he was just... tired. I wanted to talk about... whatever you might've heard at work."

"Of course." Fugaku set the glasses next to the sander. "I was made aware that an incident took place the other day at school. I was called in by my supervisor, and I shouldn't have to tell you I was very embarrassed that you didn't inform me of this beforehand."

"I'm sorry, father," he said, bowing his head. "It was a misunderstanding that got taken care of. I didn't realize that it would cause you trouble at work."

"Sasuke," Fugaku said gruffly. "It didn't cause me trouble. He and I are adults. We had a laugh about it. Rather, I'm proud of you. I heard that you broke up the fight, but, unfortunately, I was made to believe that Naruto was the cause of it."

"That's not - "

Fugaku narrowed his eyes. "I was told that upon investigation into Naruto's records that he's got a history of causing trouble at school, getting into fights. I only hope that any _friendship_ you may have with this boy won't interfere with your goals."

Sasuke lifted his head. "What happened had nothing to do with Naruto being a troublemaker. Hot-headed, yes, but he was defending a friend."

"A friend?" His father repeated dubiously. "I was under the impression he was defending a young homosexual boy in your class. I wouldn't propose that those two were, perhaps, more than friends..." He drew this question out as if expecting Sasuke to confess or contradict him.

Rather, Sasuke was too shocked by the insinuation to say anything at all.

"I figured as much since I didn't think a son of mine would be the type to put himself in a situation that could draw any negative attention."

Sasuke opened his mouth and then closed it. Not sure whether he wanted to break something or burst into tears. His father always made him feel like such a child. It was hard to talk back, to say anything against him. It was so hard... even though he knew his father was wrong. But if this was about Naruto, he needed to make sure the matter was clear.

"Naruto's not gay, father," he said.

"I didn't think so," said Fugaku. "He doesn't come off that way from what I can tell. Do you think they'd let someone like that on the varsity baseball team if it was true? Even if Naruto simply sympathized with this..._boy_... those types can bring trouble. People who'll start fights over every perceived injustice."

By this point, Sasuke was biting his lip so hard, it must've surely been bleeding.

"What would you have me do then, father?" He asked, barely able to keep the tremor out of his voice. "Should I not be friends with him?"

"That's not at all what I'm asking you to do," said Fugaku, raising an eyebrow at him. "The boy just lost his mother. He's obviously confused and may be lashing out. Perhaps spending time with you will be a good influence on him. At the very least, keep him away from that other boy. We wouldn't want him to wander any further down the wrong path now, would we?"

_I hate you_.

He wanted to say it. He wanted to say it and believe it.

But he couldn't.

It must've been his fault somehow. It must've been his fault that he was this way. His fault that he couldn't live up to his father's expectations.

"Lunch should be ready soon, shouldn't it?" Fugaku asked while putting his glasses back on. "I wonder what's taking your mother so long? You would think she's never made ramen before."

Sasuke turned away from him and left the garage. On the way up the stairs, he spotted Itachi in the hallway, but he said nothing to him, even when his brother called after him. He made his way to the bedroom, barely even registering it as he walked in and found Naruto just about to drop the towel he wore around his waist. He clutched it at the last second upon seeing Sasuke.

"Jesus, Sasuke. Don't you ever knock?" Naruto glared at him.

Sasuke shut the door behind him, leaned against it, and let his head fall so that his bangs covered his eyes. "It's my room, idiot."

Slowly, Naruto approached him, having reknotted the towel so that it hung snuggly at his waist.

"Sasuke? What has gotten into you?" Naruto asked. "Did you take care of your elbow?"

"Shut up."

"Listen to me. I only wanna help, so - "

Sharply, he lifted his head. "Shut _up_, I said."

Naruto's eyes narrowed dangerously at first, but just as quickly, his expression softened. "Sasuke," he said pleadingly. "Tell me what's wrong."

Biting his lip, he lowered his head again, shaking it.

Naruto put a hand on his upper arm. "Sasuke. Please. Talk to me."

Unable to hold it in anymore, he wrapped his arms around Naruto's shoulders and leaned into him.

"Hey," Naruto said near his ear. "What the fuck happened? Is it me? Is it somethin' I did?"

"I went to talk to my father," he commented quietly, vaguely noting the smell of his own shampoo and soap on Naruto's skin. He was still a little damp from the shower, but he felt warm.

"Oh. Is this about the fight? Did he get mad at you? Did you tell him it was my fault? Should I go talk to him?"

"No," Sasuke said immediately and clutched the other boy tighter. "He wasn't mad."

"Then what?" Naruto pushed him back against the door and searched his face. "What's made you so upset?"

Sasuke let his head fall against the door. "He wants me to keep you away from Sai."

"Huh?" Naruto still held onto his forearm; hearing what Sasuke'd said, his grip became tight enough to almost hurt.

"He was curious as to why you were defending the homosexual boy in our class, and didn't you know that standing up for him would attract negative attention?"

"Sasuke, I'm so - "

Sasuke put a hand up. "It's fine. I'm used to it. There's only so many times I can get upset about it. In fact, I've made my peace with it. I was just thinking in the shower that I'd been so selfish lately..."

"No." Naruto's hand slipped further up his arm, grabbing him at the elbow.

Sasuke winced and let out a hiss.

"Shit," said Naruto. "I'm sorry. Why are you so stubborn even over this? Let me put a bandage on it."

"I'm fine," he murmured. "It doesn't even hurt."

"Yes, it does hurt. You're clearly in pain." He took hold of Sasuke's wrist and dragged him to the bed, forcing him to sit. "Do you have a first-aid kit somewhere? Something I can wrap it with?"

"Maybe. There might be one under the sink in the bathroom."

"Okay, sit there. I'll be right back."

However, the second Naruto moved away from him, almost as if it was an instinct, Sasuke grabbed for his hand.

Naruto stopped and turned toward him.

"Naruto," he said. "It _hurts_."

"I'm about 10 seconds away from kickin' your father's ass, I swear to God, Sasuke, but before that, let me go get some bandages and take care of your arm."

Sasuke blinked at him several times, and for whatever deranged reason, he started to smirk. "You couldn't take my father."

"Maybe not, but that wouldn't be the point. I'll be right back."

Sasuke let him go, though he didn't really want to. While Naruto was gone, he crawled up the bed and lay on the side that Naruto'd slept on last night. He thought maybe the pillows might smell like him, but they really didn't. Only a couple of minutes went by before Naruto returned. He pushed the door closed and had a roll of bandages in hand.

"Take your shirt off, will you?" He nearly barked at Sasuke.

"No."

Naruto took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I will do this forcefully if I have to."

Since he was in a mood to be difficult, he replied, "Doesn't bother me any. Maybe that's the way I like it?"

Naruto sighed irritably. "You're friggin' bi-polar today. Fine then. Have it your way." He climbed on top of the bed, and the image of him moving like a lion across the duvet wasn't so very terrible. Willingly, Sasuke sat up. Naruto started to remove the shirt by grabbing the bottom, but when he got as far as Sasuke's arms, it stung to get it over his elbow.

"Let me do it," Naruto whispered. "I'll be gentle."

Moving behind him on the bed, Naruto slipped his hands under his shirt and, very slowly, started to tug it off, pinching the fabric near the elbow so it didn't rub as much against the cut. Naruto's hands, his fingers sliding over his skin, was enough to distract him from the minor discomfort. With a furrowed brow, the other boy set the shirt to the side and picked up the roll of bandages. He proceeded to wrap the area, taking his time. He was so methodical about it, Sasuke wondered if he'd done this a lot before? Maybe he'd even done it to his own hand after punching it through the glass.

When finished, Naruto still sat behind him, and Sasuke was almost propped against his chest. It was odd to feel Naruto's bare skin against his. Not sexual... just odd. He felt tired, and after everything, it was hard to think of something like that anyway.

Still, it was nice. Naruto hummed as he examined his work, picking up Sasuke's arm again and straightening out a crooked part of the bandage. After a while, he must've slumped against the headboard. The motion caused Sasuke to lean back with him. Then, the same time as Naruto wrapped his arms around his waist, he also settled his chin on Sasuke's shoulder.

It caused his breath to hitch. Naruto's fingers, curled at first like a claw against his stomach, spread out until the hand flattened, and he felt the boy's warm palm pressed to his stomach. It was a protective gesture, he knew. Rather than fight it, he felt grateful, and so he smiled.

"You know," Naruto said, and as he spoke, it was close enough to his ear that it raised the hairs on the back of his neck, "You haven't done anything wrong. I'm not thrilled with your dad right now, but I know he's your dad and that you love him."

Sasuke didn't say anything. What could he possibly say?

"I wish that we lived in a world where you bein' gay wasn't an issue. Maybe if he knew, he'd feel differently."

"I'm not ready to tell him," he said in a hoarse voice.

"Okay," Naruto replied gently, and, very softly and very briefly, he brushed his lips across Sasuke's shoulder, causing him to shut his eyes.

"Don't be so good to me," he whispered.

"Why wouldn't I be good to you?" Naruto said in a low voice.

"Because."

"Because why?" The hand on his stomach shifted, moved upward, and then around in a circle.

Sasuke inhaled sharply. Again, Naruto's lips brushed the top of his shoulder, all the way to the base of his neck.

"Stop," and he said it like it hurt, like it was burning him.

Naruto did stop, but the arms around him tightened. "Don't be afraid," he said. "I won't hurt you."

"It already hurts, Naruto."

Naruto hugged him tight enough that it almost felt like he couldn't breathe, but it wasn't really Naruto doing it to him. It was something else... something breaking inside of him, and yet it was so hard to fall. So hard to lose himself to the darkness when Naruto was right there, holding him in his arms.

"You can cry if you want to," Naruto told him. "I'm right here."

He wasn't ready to let it all go, but almost immediately, the tears slipped down his cheeks. Only a few. Some of them landed on his chest, others slid down Naruto's arms.

Who knows how long they lay like that? He had no idea. Minutes? 10? 20? Eventually, there was a knock at the door, but he didn't have the strength to move, and Naruto continued to hold him. There was another knock, and then Itachi announced that it was him.

"Come in," Naruto said, but Sasuke remembered thinking how hoarse his voice sounded, as if he'd been screaming for hours.

Itachi cracked open the door, saw them, was clearly surprised and then must've determined it was something serious. He came in quickly, shutting the door behind, and even locking it.

"Sasuke," he said, walking to the bed. "What's wrong?"

"He's okay," said Naruto. "I think he fell in the shower."

"Are you not feeling well?" Itachi asked, clearly concerned. "Did you faint?"

"I'm fine," he replied. "I feel tired."

"You looked upset when you came up the stairs. Did something happen with father?" Itachi went to the other side of the bed and examined Sasuke's arm, but Naruto batted him away, which he found highly amusing.

"I told you that father can't accept me for who I am."

"Did you - "

Sasuke shook his head. "I didn't tell him. There was no point. He made it clear how he feels about people like me."

Naruto settled his chin on Sasuke's shoulder again, perhaps as a sign of support. Or maybe just comfort.

"Do you want me to speak with him?" Itachi asked, starting to appear genuinely angry.

"No. Please don't. I just... need to rest."

"Should I bring you something? I was to tell you that lunch is ready, but if you're not feeling well, I'll bring you a bit of soup and something to drink."

He pouted childishly. "But Naruto helped make it." He heard Naruto chuckle and was able to feel his body shake against him when he did it.

"Don't laugh at me," Sasuke warned.

"M'sorry." He went quiet again, but it almost felt as if lips brushed the back of his head, and then Naruto's chin was resting on his other shoulder. "I'll get dressed and have lunch with them. That way you can stay in here and rest."

"I don't want you to leave," he said in a very low voice.

"I'll do whatever you want."

"Well, for now let me go explain to mom and dad that you're ill so that they don't barge in here and wonder what's going on." Itachi stared at the both of them a long while. He didn't know what Naruto's expression was, but his brother seemed to look at him for a long time before finally leaving them alone again.

Naruto nudged him. "If I'm going to stay, maybe I should get dressed."

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'?"

Sasuke looked behind at him. Naruto didn't flinch or move, even though their faces were so very close. Close enough that he could've easily kissed him, and, yes, he found he wanted to, but he didn't want to take advantage of Naruto either. Hadn't he determined in the shower that he'd stop this one-sided infatuation?

"Stop thinking whatever you're thinking," Naruto told him, and there was something so intimate about the sound of his voice, as if they were long-time lovers who knew each other inside and out.

"What am I thinking?" He asked, eyes narrowed at Naruto's lips.

"Well, now you're thinking something entirely different."

"Am I? Are you a mind reader now?" Sasuke turned in his arms; Naruto let go of him, looking up only when Sasuke got to his knees. He lifted one leg long enough that he could push Naruto's together and straddle his thighs.

Naruto's eyes, intense and so _very_ blue, stared up at him as Sasuke settled himself more comfortably in his lap. He grabbed for Naruto's right hand and placed it at his waist, then he grabbed the other, placing it at his other side. Then he let go, leaving Naruto with a choice.

The hands slipped lower, to his hips, and Naruto pulled him forward more. He moved a hand to Sasuke's stomach, keeping it flat as he let it skim from above the waistband of his jeans to his chest. All the while, he had his head cocked to the side, lips parted enough to catch a glimpse of his tongue as he ran it across his teeth. Naruto broke their gaze to watch his hand travel in circles around Sasuke's abs. When he glanced up again, he was biting his lip.

"What do you want, Sasuke?" He asked earnestly.

Sasuke leaned in, and with a sad smile, cupped the side of Naruto's face. "What I can't have."


	8. Chapter 8

With the lights off and blinds drawn, Sasuke lay in his bed, underneath the blankets because Naruto had insisted that he do so or else he wouldn't stop bugging him. When Sasuke complied with all of his wishes, Naruto left him to have lunch with his family. The other boy seemed to think it would discourage his parents from coming in and asking too many questions. Under different circumstances, he would've argued that he didn't need Naruto's _protection_, but he also knew how very persistent the blond could be. It seemed easier to just keep his mouth shut.

Having apparently heard that he wasn't feeling well, his mom peeked her head in, but he'd pretended to be asleep. It was hard not to be able to talk to her because more often than not, he did feel like he could be open with her - but not about this.

Though he shut his eyes, he couldn't really fall asleep. His mind kept racing. He thought a lot about his father, and he thought a lot about Naruto.

It would be difficult to pretend now that Naruto didn't know his feelings. But, Naruto had never said anything regarding how _he_ felt. Sasuke thought that he cared, but it was hard to separate that from the part of Naruto's personality that simply desired to protect people when they were in a position to get hurt.

Maybe an hour passed before Naruto returned. Perhaps he thought Sasuke was asleep because he was trying to be quiet. He was carrying a bowl and a mug. Naruto came closer to the bed.

"You asleep?" he whispered.

"No."

"That's too bad. Okay, well I brought you some ramen. Your mom left it in the pot so that it would stay warm."

Sasuke shifted over to move stuff off of the nightstand so Naruto had a place to put it all.

"Thanks," said Naruto, and he set everything on the table, including a small ceramic soup spoon and a pair of chopsticks rolled up in a napkin. In the mug was some hot green tea.

Naruto, dressed now in a pair of jeans and a gray short-sleeved t-shirt, took a seat on the edge of the bed.

Picking up the mug, Sasuke leaned against the headboard.

"Well," he said. "How was lunch with my family?"

Naruto was looking down into his lap, where his hands lay clasped. "It was okay. I was pretty mad at first, but I knew you didn't want me to bring anything up, so I did what I'm good at and pretended everything was just wonderful." He lifted his head and glanced over at Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't really know what to say. Well, except one thing. "Thank you."

"I hope you like the ramen," Naruto said, apparently thinking he only meant for bringing the food, "Since I had a hand in making it."

Sasuke attempted a smile. "Did you like it? I wish I could've been there for your first time."

Naruto cleared his throat.

He rolled his eyes. "I meant eating ramen, idiot."

"You never did tell me," said Naruto, and he actually crawled over Sasuke to get to the other side of the bed, "Who your first time was with."

"Like I said. It's none of your business." Setting down the mug, he picked up the bowl of soup and, after blowing on it, sipped some broth out of the spoon. "It's good."

Naruto laughed. "Isn't it? Guess it was worth wearin' that apron, after all."

"Hn. It did look good on you."

Suddenly, Naruto scooted a little closer to him, but he lay on his side, his head resting on the pillow. Sasuke had the impulse to run his fingers through the boy's hair. But, after thinking it over, he decided it was best to stop acting on those impulses, even if Naruto initiated the contact.

"Your mother was really worried about you," Naruto said quietly. "I told her it was just 'cause you hadn't eaten much and then we went runnin' for so long without having brought any water."

"I'm sure that had some part in it."

"Maybe." Naruto nestled closer, to where his head rested very near to Sasuke's hip. He moved his hands, too, so that they touched the side of Sasuke's leg, even though the comforter separated them.

Sasuke didn't say anything about it and continued to eat his soup.

"Itachi tried to teach me how to use chopsticks," Naruto went on. "I don't think I'm very good at it, though."

"It takes practice," he murmured, picking up the fishcake in his own chopsticks.

"Those are the things that your mom says you liked when you were little, huh?"

Sasuke glanced at him. "I still do." He ate it and smiled down at Naruto. "Maybe you really will make a good wife some day."

"Men can cook," Naruto argued. "I can be someone's husband."

"If you can find anyone willing to marry an idiot."

"Shut up," Naruto grumbled, tucking in even closer.

"Are you an octopus?" Sasuke asked him.

Naruto's eyes were closed. "Just wanna be close to you for a while."

"I told you," he said. "I don't need to be protected."

"I know that."

"Maybe you need to think about keeping your distance."

Naruto's eyes cracked open. He leaned up on his elbow. "What do you mean?"

"Just, you know," he picked at his noodles, "Maybe stuff like this would give someone the wrong impression."

"We're not even doing anything, Sasuke."

Chewing his lip, Sasuke set his chopsticks across the bowl. "I guess I need to be as straightforward as possible with someone like you."

"Someone like me?" Naruto asked.

"Someone as oblivious as you," he clarified. "I'm gay. Maybe I can't come out to my parents, but it's still who I am. I accept it."

"I told you I don't have a problem with it," said Naruto, sitting up now so that he could cross his legs underneath him.

"Well, I have a problem." Sasuke set the bowl aside, and, taking in a deep breath, looked at Naruto seriously. "What I wanted to tell you this morning was that..." He stopped. It was hard to tell him because not only did it seem like something a weak person would say, but he was also afraid of Naruto rejecting him completely if he admitted to it.

"Just say it," said Naruto. "I might not know what the problem is until you tell me 'cause like you've said over and over again, I'm an idiot. So, spell it out."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Why are you getting angry? I'm only trying to be honest."

"Right. Because honestly is clearly your specialty."

He pulled the blanket off of him and glared. "What exactly are you implying?"

"Nothing. Forget it."

"I'm not a mind reader," he said snidely.

"Yeah, well _neither_ am I," snapped Naruto. "I _told_ you I wanted to talk, but you kept putting it off! Don't put this all on me like I just don't understand when you won't even _talk_ to me."

Both of them were upset; all they could do was glare at each other. Sasuke didn't understand why Naruto was so angry, though. Eventually, the other boy glanced away with a frustrated huff. He was at a loss for words. What did Naruto want to hear? Did he have to humiliate himself by admitting his feelings right here and right now?

"Naruto," he said. "When you asked me before about what it is I wanted..."

Naruto looked over at him. "Yeah."

"What do _you_ want?" He dug his teeth into his lip. "From me."

"For starters, I want you to be honest with me. I want you to trust me."

"It's not personal," Sasuke said, somewhat defensively, "I don't... trust a lot of people."

"I don't get it," said Naruto. "I dunno how you can live like that."

"Easily. It means I'm less likely to get hurt by other people."

"Maybe." Naruto shook his head. "But it also means you can't get close to people either."

"So?"

Naruto snorted. "So, _asshole_, I _want_ to get close to you. If you haven't fuckin' noticed, I've had a pretty shitty last few months, and this is the first week I've started to feel normal, and it's only because I met _you_. And just when I think we're getting closer, you push me away."

"Think about it, Naruto," he growled. "What do you think it means when you get close to someone like me?"

"Is this because you're gay?" Naruto asked. "Do you think I care what people will think if I hang out with you and they find out you like guys?"

Sasuke blinked at him. "Are you serious?"

"That's not it?"

"I'm going to kill you," he said. Beside himself, Sasuke rolled over onto his side, back to Naruto, and pulled a pillow over his head.

Naruto tried to yank the pillow off of him, but Sasuke refused to let him have it.

"You're acting like a child, Sasuke. C'mon."

"Like I want to hear that coming from you."

"You're such a dick," Naruto said, finally ripping the pillow away from his grasp. He put a hand on Sasuke's arm.

"Don't touch me," Sasuke grumbled.

"Shut up. I'm so tired of listenin' to you bitch and whine."

Incredulous, Sasuke was about to turn over, but Naruto stopped him and, sliding up against his back, wrapped an arm around his waist. Sasuke started to struggle. When he did, Naruto settled his chin on his shoulder.

"Stop," he said to Sasuke.

He didn't know why, but he did stop.

"It's unfair," Sasuke told him.

"What's unfair?" Naruto asked, nudging his nose against the back of Sasuke's neck.

"You're too cruel."

"How am I cruel?" Naruto's voice was quiet and gentle.

"This, you doing things like this... it confuses me," he admitted. "Your _fucking_ mixed signals."

Naruto squeezed him and let out a sigh. "You're one to talk."

Sasuke stiffened.

"Don't act like you dunno what I mean," Naruto said near his ear. "You kissed me, and then acted like it didn't mean anything. You're hot and cold. Half the time I can't tell if you're teasin' me because you think I'm an idiot, or if you're actually flirting with me. Even when I ask you directly, you blow me off. I asked if you were attracted to me, and you only fed me crap about how Sai and that girl in our class showed interest. But then when you look at me sometimes, I think, okay... maybe there's somethin' else. I have no fuckin' clue how this works, but I _care_ about you. I_like_ you. I'm doin' stuff like this and what went on before I ate lunch with your family, and you think I've ever imagined something like this to happen?"

He was too taken off guard to say anything, to even get his thoughts in order.

"I told you I've never believed in high school romances," said Naruto, "and I don't. I've never had a real relationship, and... obviously your home life is very complicated. So is mine."

"Naruto..." He closed his eyes. His chest hurt.

"You said you want what you can't have. Well, that's the difference between us then, 'cause I'm willin' to fight for what I want."

"I can't do that right now," he replied hoarsely.

"I know." Naruto's hand moved up to cover his heart.

"You're disappointed in me."

"No."

Sasuke sneered. "Liar."

"Stop assumin' shit, Sasuke. You're so paranoid. I am happy to accept you the way you are. I just wish you'd accept yourself."

"Fuck you. You don't know what it's like."

"I don't even mean you bein' gay, you dipshit. I just mean _you_. I don't know how to convince you how great of a person you are. It's, for lack of a better word, why I was attracted to you from the first day we met. Not _like that_, but... in a way, yeah. Who you are, your personality. You're a natural leader. You're smart, you're funny. You always talk down about yourself when it comes to people, but I've never seen you as anything but kind and willing to go out of your way for others. Look what you did in the locker room, what you did when you went to talk to the principal on my behalf..." Naruto sighed. "You're a good person, Sasuke. It's why I wanted to get to know you better. It's why I fuckin' hate your situation and why I'm angry as hell right now. You deserve... so much more."

Sasuke's eyes started to sting. "Stop it."

"No."

Naruto shifted, and, taking hold of Sasuke's arm, rolled him over so that he was on his back. Naruto's expression was more serious than he'd ever seen it before. Almost dark and imposing. Determined.

"Do you like me?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke's lips parted, but he didn't say anything.

Naruto leaned in closer. "It's a simple question. Do you like me?"

"...Yes."

"What are you afraid of?" Naruto touched a hand to the side of his face.

"A lot of things," he answered. "Rejection, for one."

"If you expect me to tell you that I don't like you, it's not gonna happen."

"What?"

Naruto brushed his bangs out of his eyes for him. "I'm having feelings for you I haven't had before... not for anyone, _but_ I don't know what they are or what that means."

Sasuke reached for the front of Naruto's shirt and clutched it.

"Do you feel the same?" Naruto asked him.

Sasuke nodded.

"Why was that so hard for you?" Naruto smiled down at him.

"I don't know."

With another heavy sigh, Naruto lay beside him, his head resting on Sasuke's shoulder. Turning toward him, Sasuke placed a kiss to his temple. He didn't know what had just happened, or what was going on inside his head, but... it was all just too much to process.

Naruto suddenly chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Sasuke asked him.

"Nothin'."

"Naruto."

"What's the possibility it's just, y'know, sexual tension?"

Sasuke smirked. "Well, why don't we screw and see if we feel better afterward?"

"Yeah, maybe we just gotta get it out of our system. I don't think that's it, though."

"No?" He started to play with Naruto's hair.

"Not if part of me is worried that if..." He cleared his throat. "Somethin' did happen between us... what if shit got awkward? I... want to be your friend. I want to hang out with you."

"I guess we'd just have to consider doing it more than once."

Naruto laughed darkly. "I can't see myself dating a boy."

"Sometimes neither can I," Sasuke replied. "Just because I find you attractive doesn't mean I want to _date_ you, Naruto."

"Ah, so at least you admit you find me attractive."

"I've always found you to be very attractive," he confessed.

"Really?" Naruto lifted his head.

"I'm not repeating myself."

"Hm."

"Have you ever..." Sasuke licked his lips. "Felt attracted to me in any way?"

"Are we bein' honest right now?" Naruto asked.

"Preferably." He went back to running his fingers through the other boy's hair.

"Then maybe. I don't know if I'm ready to admit I'm bisexual, but... once or twice I've definitely questioned my preferences while hangin' out with you."

Sasuke's fingers stopped moving. "I think... I need to pretend you didn't just say that."

"No. I don't wanna pretend anything," Naruto argued.

"Fine, then pull down your pants and let me suck you off."

Naruto suddenly lifted half way up. "What?!"

"You said you wanted us to be honest."

"Yeah, well. I wanna be there for you and... er." Naruto scratched at his cheek, which had already turned a very brilliant shade of red. "I'm not sure I'm ready or... um."

Sasuke sniggered. "You heterosexuals," he said. "You're all so damn gullible."

"Tch." Naruto rolled onto his back, but his hand lay close to Sasuke's. "We're still gonna have that bonfire, right? I think we both need to have some fun, don't you?"

"If by fun you mean get out of this house, then yes."

"Yeah, kinda."

"What should we do until then?" Sasuke asked him.

"Heh."

"I thought you said you weren't ready."

"What made you jump to that?" Naruto was looking at him, his smile wide and mischievous.

"Because sometimes it's all I think about when I'm around you."

"Pervert," he said.

"Who are you," asked Sasuke, with a smirk. "My father?"

Naruto actually laughed. "Too soon."

"Yeah, I think so, too."

Naruto grabbed for his hand and held it. "Life's too short to give a shit about what people think."

"Perhaps."

"Well, in the end, I'll at least be there for you. As a friend, or whatever."

"'Whatever' may seem a good alternative in future." He smiled warmly at Naruto.

Naruto smiled back, though it was crooked. "How would someone like you ever benefit from getting involved with someone like me?"

Sasuke lifted their hands off of the bed once or twice. "Are you kidding?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I mean, maybe the dating pool is small for you now 'cause we're in high school, but what about when you go to college?"

Somehow, that hurt. He let their joined hands come to a rest on top of the blanket. "Are you rejecting me already?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What is there to reject? You said you weren't interested in datin' me! See, this is what I meant by mixed signals."

"You don't want to date a boy."

"It's weird to think about, I have to admit that. I don't know the first thing about bein' in a relationship, Sasuke, which is why I think you could do way better. Not that you're even considerin' me that way apparently. So, what about this guy you slept with? Maybe there's something there."

Sasuke scowled. "I don't think so. He's dating someone else. A woman. And when he and I got together, he'd only been with a few guys. He's bisexual, but I think he's far more interested in breasts."

"If he wasn't datin' some chick, would you wanna be with him?"

Sasuke took in a deep breath, thinking it over. Naruto rolled onto his side, waiting for his answer.

"That seems impossible," he answered.

"No?"

"It was just sex, Naruto."

"Okay." Naruto let go of his hand, which was disappointing, and placed it on his own thigh.

Sasuke regarded him for a moment. "It would be hypocritical of you to judge me for saying that. Your first time wasn't exactly about romance either."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "That's hittin' below the belt. I didn't even say anything."

"You didn't have to," he said.

"Even if I didn't call her, it's not like the sex was just about me. I wanted her to feel good, too. It's not like we did it once, and we went our separate ways. I stayed with her all night, and when I woke up in the morning, I... needed to go. Yeah, maybe I didn't handle it well, but I never once thought that I was just usin' her."

"You stayed with her all night?"

"Yes."

Sasuke nodded and bit his lip, moving his hand to his stomach. "Good for you. Sounds like you were quite the gentleman."

"...Was it not like that for you?" Naruto placed his hand where Sasuke's had just been.

"I never wanted it to be," he answered. "There was an opportunity for it, and I took it."

"And he had experience bein' with guys?"

"He did, which is why I thought he'd be a safe bet. We'd been drinking. I'd always been attracted to him. He wandered into the room where I was, and I kissed him." He glanced calmly at Naruto, who looked both curious and thoughtful. "Then I pulled him down on top of me. He didn't resist too much, and then we went into the bathroom together. I got what I wanted out of it, and that was good enough for me. I can't imagine he didn't enjoy it."

Naruto made a slight humming noise, and he appeared to be frowning a bit.

"You obviously have something to say," Sasuke remarked. His gaze slid lower, to Naruto's fingers, which were picking and pulling at the blanket. "What?"

"Nothin'."

"Naruto. If you have something to say, say it to my face."

"I just... wanted to know. Was he, y'know," Naruto averted his gaze and fidgeted a little, "...Good to you? Was he nice to you? Was he gentle?"

Surprised by the question, his lips parted as he inhaled more sharply than he meant to. He cleared his throat before answering, "He was gentle enough."

Suddenly, Naruto got on his stomach and buried his face in the pillow. He might've let out a word or two that Sasuke couldn't make out, since it just came out muffled. After a minute, he turned to look at him, but his face was still partially obscured by the pillow.

"What was that about?" Sasuke asked him quietly.

"None of your business," Naruto replied and buried his face again.

Confused, Sasuke moved toward him, sliding up against his side. He hesitated at first, but then he put his hand on Naruto's upper back. He left it there for a while until he moved it up into Naruto's hair.

"It's weird to smell that shampoo on you," he said quietly. "You smell like me."

Barely, Naruto lifted his head to look at him. "Does it hurt," he asked. "To have sex with another guy?"

Both of Sasuke's eyebrows drew up. While he collected his thoughts, he returned to rubbing Naruto's head. "Did it hurt to have sex with that girl?"

"Of course not," Naruto answered. "You know what I mean."

"You're assuming I was the one on the bottom?" He smirked, mostly to himself.

"Weren't you? You said he had the experience. Isn't that how it works?"

"I wouldn't really know, but I would imagine maybe. There were other circumstances for why it made more sense for him to... top."

"Top?" Naruto repeated. "Hm. Like what?"

"Like... I don't know that I want to tell you."

"Hm." Naruto lifted up from the pillow; Sasuke dropped his hand on to the blanket. "You're makin' me nervous."

"You realize that my first sexual experience has nothing to do with you, right?" Sasuke asked. "And that what happened between that person and myself is none of your business."

"Fine." Naruto scowled. "I was tired of hearin' about it anyway." He sat up, looking anywhere but at Sasuke, and raked a hand through his hair, only causing it to stick up even more.

Sasuke stared at him. "You're not... jealous, are you?"

"No," Naruto replied so quickly that it was suspicious.

Smirking, Sasuke drew himself onto his knees and poked Naruto in the arm.

"What?" Naruto snapped.

Sasuke actually laughed. "You _are_ jealous."

"_No_," Naruto said. "I'm just concerned. I dunno who this guy was, and everything you tell me about him, and then what you won't tell me makes me feel all suspicious. Is this some weird freak you met in an online chatroom?"

Sasuke started to smile. "What if it was?"

"Then, I'mma go get Itachi, and we're gonna go find him, and then... I dunno. I'll do somethin'. Maybe I'll kick him in the shin."

"Wasn't it you that once said _I_ was too possessive? What did you tell me? That you could be friends with me _and_ Sai."

"I'm not bein' possessive," Naruto mumbled, pulling his knees to him and wrapping his arms around them so that he could hide his face again.

Sasuke wanted to tackle him so badly. In fact, what he really wanted was to take hold of Naruto's face and kiss him like he should've done earlier when he'd been sitting in his lap... but at that time, it hadn't felt right. Naruto was still out of his reach. Again, it was just that protective streak he seemed to have. He knew it was that, and yet, it made him feel giddy to fantasize about Naruto being jealous over him being with another man. Although, he knew if he mentioned it was one of Itachi's friends, a man five years older than him, Naruto really would've flipped out. Or, worse, would've thought less of him. Sasuke had no problem with the choice he made, but he could see others taking an issue with it, which is why he'd always kept it to himself. Besides, Naruto didn't need to know _everything_, just like he wasn't all that interested in hearing every detail about Naruto's first time. He was trying not to imagine that spending the night with some girl he hardly knew meant that they went at it the whole damn time. When he'd been with Yahiko, it hadn't lasted all that long, maybe 40 minutes from start to finish, and that included making out on the couch.

Also, Naruto wasn't his to be jealous over, but if he was... well, that would be a different story. Although, this was all before they met, so it shouldn't much matter anyway. It did make him curious, however, about what Naruto thought of sex, what he liked or didn't like about it, what he enjoyed about being with a woman in particular... How would Naruto be as a lover? Would he be rough? Gentle? He wasn't_that_ experienced, so it's not like he was an expert. But there was an ease about Naruto that intrigued him. Naruto was passionate, too. Sasuke always wanted to kiss him when he got angry, so... how would that translate during sex? If they were to do anything, would Naruto take the lead, or would he? Honestly, he'd fantasized about both ways already to some extent.

Shit. Wrong train of thoughts to be having with Naruto in his bed. As casually as he could manage, Sasuke slid lower and shifted to where he lay on his stomach. He turned his head the opposite way, so that he wouldn't have to look at Naruto.

"Oi," he heard Naruto say. "Did you fall asleep?"

"How could I fall asleep with you being so loud, idiot?"

Unexpectedly, Naruto flopped on top of him, covering the upper half of his body. Sasuke would've struggled, but he didn't want Naruto to become aware of his predicament.

"Get off," he warned.

"Or what?" Naruto asked.

"I will hurt you."

"Meh. You don't seem so tough to me." Naruto rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder and started to play with the hem of his shirt, fingers once in a while brushing along the lower part of his back.

Sasuke closed his eyes. "_Naruto_."

"Shh. Go to sleep."

"How can I go to sleep when you're practically humping me, you moron?"

"Oh. Is this doin' somethin' for you? Even though I'm not some online pedo guy who likes to diddle little boys?"

Sasuke let out a sigh of frustration. Naruto's warm breath was fanning across the back of his neck. Every time Naruto's fingers touched skin, it was just... _too_ much. Naruto adjusted his position, shifting more to the other side, but that allowed Naruto's left leg to slide just over Sasuke's right one. It rubbed against the inside of his thigh and by his knee.

Embarrassing the hell out of him, it caused him to let out a strangled noise.

"Hey," Naruto got up, "Are you okay? Did I hurt you? Did I hit your elbow? Shit, I'm on top of it!" Thankfully, he scrambled off of Sasuke. "Maybe I should get you some pain killers?"

"Yes," Sasuke practically growled. "Do that, and while you're out there, go play with Itachi for a while."

Naruto was about halfway to the door when he stopped. "Huh? Why?"

"Just do as I tell you, and don't come back for another 15 to 20 minutes."

Naruto made a face. "You're bein' weird."

"If you come back before then, I'm throwing all of your stuff to make s'mores into the bonfire."

"Why would you do that?" Naruto whined. "What did I do?"

"Naruto. Itachi. Now."

"Tch, fine. No need to be such a jerk. I'm goin'. I'll be back in a while." With that, Naruto finally left the room.

Though it was uncomfortable as hell, Sasuke quickly got off the bed and locked the door. He really hoped that, as he got older, these situations would become a lot easier to control. Confident that Naruto would leave him alone and that everyone else figured he was sleeping, Sasuke went to his nightstand and opened the drawer. Finding a small bottle of lotion he buried under all the other junk, he fell on top of the bed. The cool air hit his stomach where his shirt had ridden up. For a while, he stared at the ceiling, his fingers hovering over the button of his jeans, then, quickly unsnapping it with his thumb, he unzipped them the rest of the way.

He _tried_ not to think about Naruto as he slid his hand inside and rubbed himself. He_tried_ to only think that it felt good, but as he shut his eyes, he clearly saw blond hair, a sexy smile, and those blue eyes... How Naruto had looked in just that towel, the feel of his arms around Sasuke, and then when he was able to straddle him. Naruto's hands on his hips, forcibly moving him forward.

How would Naruto feel underneath him? How would it feel to have Naruto's mouth all over his body, his tongue...?

Sasuke bit his lip in order to stifle a groan. He shimmied his jeans down his hips and stroked himself roughly, thinking about anything and everything so long as it was Naruto.

Fifteen minutes?

He should've told Naruto _five_ because it was literally only three before he came while choking down a noise that would've sounded a lot like the other boy's name.


	9. Chapter 9

When he'd come down from the high of a very quick and very intense orgasm, Sasuke sorted himself out - cleaning up the mess with some tissues, getting his pants in order, and taking a moment to get his breathing under control. So much for all of his determination to no longer react to his feelings for Naruto. Then again, it's not as if anyone else needed to know what he fantasized about in private. Why did Naruto have to be such a touchy-feely person anyway?

He sat up on the edge of the bed. As he was sitting there, he heard a low buzzing noise coming from somewhere and realized Naruto had left his phone on the desk. Sasuke stood up and went over, figuring if someone important was calling, he'd let Naruto know. Seeing that it was his dad, he picked up the phone and put it in his back pocket with the intention of bringing it to him.

Before he went in search of Naruto and Itachi, he walked into the bathroom to wash his hands and splash some water on his face. His cheeks were a little flushed, and his hair was a bit disheveled. He tried to fix it as he checked himself out in the mirror. With his bare feet padding against the floorboards in the hallway, he wandered past the living room (no one was there) and headed for Itachi's bedroom. The door was partially open, and just as he was about to go inside, he heard the following conversation take place:

"Stay still," said Itachi.

"Ow, that hurt!" cried Naruto.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt if you'd just stay still."

"But it's really stuck in there. I can feel it! You're poking me!"

"I'm not poking you," grunted Itachi. "Be good and stop squirming. It's almost over."

Sasuke, who had his hand on the door, quickly pushed it open and saw Itachi and Naruto standing near the bed. His brother had a hold of Naruto's face and was looking at him intently. It looked as though they were about to kiss.

"What... the hell are you two doing?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh, it's you, Sasuke," said Itachi. "Ah, here it is. How does that feel?" He let his hands fall away from the blond's cheeks.

"Much better," said Naruto as he rubbed one of his eyes. "I dunno how the hell that got in there. It really hurt." He turned around and smiled at Sasuke. "I had somethin' in my eye, and your brother helped get it out."

"Is that so?" Sasuke asked, taking a few steps closer to the bed. He raised an eyebrow at Itachi.

"Naruto told me you sent him away for a while," said his brother. "You look a little more relaxed."

"Yeah." Naruto came over to him and stuck his face really close to Sasuke's. "You look like you have a bit of color to your cheeks, though. Do you have a fever?" He pressed the back of his hand to Sasuke's forehead, but he swatted it away.

"I'm fine," he mumbled. "I just needed a little room to breathe."

"But you had that whole hour while I was at lunch," replied Naruto.

"My brother likes his space. I wouldn't take it too personally. Besides, I was happy to be able to spend time with you." Itachi took a seat at his desk. "We had a nice talk, didn't we?"

Naruto nodded and smiled. He went and sat on the edge of the bed. "Yep. Itachi was tellin' me about college. I can't wait to go. Sounds awesome. I'm excited to get to live on my own."

"Speaking of," said Sasuke as he pulled out Naruto's phone. "Your phone rang. I think it was your dad."

"Oh." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I'll call him later."

Sasuke had to drop it into his lap. "Why don't you call him now? You didn't call him last night, did you?"

"He knows where I am," Naruto grumbled. "I dunno why he keeps callin'."

"Naruto." He gave the boy's forehead a flick.

"Ow!" Naruto covered the spot with his hand. "What the hell was that for?"

"If you call him, I'll do something nice for you."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Your choice."

Naruto hummed suspiciously at him.

"I have an idea," said Itachi. "If you call your dad, perhaps you can ask Sasuke to play something for you. You know, my brother is a very talented musician."

"Shit, that's right!" Naruto's eyes went incredibly wide. "Yeah, will you? Maybe you could teach me how to play somethin' on the guitar?"

"I think it'll take more than one night to be able to teach you how to play something."

"Still. I'd really like to see you play. I'll go call him back." Naruto, phone in hand, left the room in a hurry to call his dad.

Sasuke stared at his brother; Itachi stared back, but he was smirking.

"Fifteen to twenty minutes, huh?" Itachi asked.

"Shut up," replied Sasuke.

"It's no wonder. I was a little surprised when I walked into your room and found you in his arms. I believe he was only in a towel, too, am I correct?"

Sasuke brushed his fingertips across the top of the comforter. "It wasn't like that. How was lunch? Did Naruto behave himself?"

"He was more subdued than usual, but he was very polite. He and mother did most of the talking."

Sasuke nodded. "I didn't see them around. Did they go somewhere? Are they outside?"

"Father wanted to make sure you had some cold medicine and a few sports drinks in case you really were coming down with something."

He took that in quietly, but he could feel his brother's eyes on him.

"What do you think you're going to do?" Itachi asked.

"About what?" He collapsed on the bed, lying across the middle of it.

"Naruto. Did you have a talk with him?"

"We talked," replied Sasuke, shutting his eyes. "We're on the same page. Mostly."

"I'm not sure I know what that means."

"You know, not everything about my personal life is your business."

"It's my business when I walk into your room and see you like that," Itachi said in a low voice.

"I'm fine." Sasuke frowned. "I can take care of myself."

"It certainly didn't look like it. It seemed like the only thing holding you up was Naruto. He cares about you. Even I can see that."

"Naruto cares about everyone. He wants to save everyone. It doesn't mean I'm anything special to him, and as far as I can tell, he's still straight. Not to mention I have no interest in dating another boy. It would be too much trouble. For all of us." He opened his eyes when he felt the mattress dip. Itachi sat down next to him and heaved a sigh.

"Sasuke, I don't want you to have any regrets. I have no intention of letting you go through what I did with father. That was my path. Yours can be something completely different."

"Why?" He asked, raising his voice. "Why do you have to sacrifice everything, and I don't?"

"Because." Itachi smiled down at him. "You're my little brother whom I love. You wouldn't understand what if feels like for me to watch you suffer and struggle so much."

"I'm not suffering," he grumbled. "I'm fine. I can handle it."

"You're young. There are things you don't understand yet."

"I wish you'd stop looking down on me all the time."

"You're such a brat," said Itachi. "Maybe I should tell Naruto what you really got up to during your alone time."

"You wouldn't dare." He glared. "You like Naruto, I can tell. You wouldn't want to make him uncomfortable."

Itachi chuckled. "I suppose you're right. There is something very interesting about Naruto. I wonder what my friends will think of him. You know, Deidara is coming. Maybe we should warn your friend what he can be like?"

"You didn't!" Sasuke sat up. "Who else did you invite?"

"The usual." Itachi shrugged.

"Great. Now I'll have to keep an eye out so that no one tries to molest him."

"I'm sure you would've kept an eye on him no matter what," remarked Itachi. "Your feelings are, if you're not already aware of this, very obvious, Sasuke."

Sasuke covered his eyes with his left hand. "I'm trying."

"You're trying to what?"

"I'm trying to get over it. I just... need a little time."

"For whose sake are you doing that? Yours? Naruto's? Father's?"

"Everyone's," he mumbled. "It's just a stupid infatuation. It would've helped if Naruto had just..."

"If Naruto had just...?" Itachi lay back on the bed, beside him so that their arms touched.

Sasuke glanced at him. "He should've just said he was disgusted with me or rejected me, or... anything. Not... what he did say, which for some stupid reason, gave me the smallest bit of hope... but, it's impossible. I don't want to disappoint anyone, and Naruto likes girls."

"He likes you," said Itachi. "That punk took a swat at me when I tried to check on your arm, which, how is that, by the way?"

"It's fine," he said, and then he chuckled. "That was pretty amusing."

"What was amusing?" Naruto pushed the door open. "I wanna know. I like funny stories."

"It's an inside joke," Sasuke told him hastily. "What did your dad have to say?"

Naruto shrugged and glanced somewhere else. "Nothin' important."

"You're a terrible liar."

"Shut up!" Naruto glared at him. "I wasn't lyin'!"

"Now he's getting defensive," said Itachi.

"You guys suck." Naruto crossed his arms and pouted. He took a couple of steps toward them. "How come you're both layin' there? I wanna lay there, too. I feel left out."

"There's no room for you," Sasuke told him, smirking. "This is for Uchiha only."

"Hmph. What's so great about bein' an Uchiha?" Naruto kicked lightly at Sasuke's shin.

"You don't think we're special?" Itachi asked the younger boy. "I'm hurt, Naruto."

"It's not like that!" Naruto flailed his arms. "It's just... I don't wanna feel like a third wheel."

"Should I scoot over?" Itachi asked. "What do you think, Sasuke?"

"I think you spoil him."

"Don't you want to reward him for doing as he was told?"

"True!" Naruto exclaimed. "I called my dad because you told me to."

"I thought you wanted me to teach you something on the guitar," Sasuke replied.

"Oh, just shove over already!" Naruto pushed his way in between them and lay on his back. He gave a great sigh as he snuggled into the small space. "Mm, this is nice. Makes me wish I had siblings."

"Siblings fight sometimes," said Itachi.

"I wouldn't mind. Sasuke and I fight a lot, but for the most part we get along. I think that's okay. And fightin' with him can be fun sometimes."

"Is that so?" Itachi asked, smiling at the blond. "What do you and Sasuke fight about?"

Naruto hummed. "All kinds of stuff. Let's see, the first time we fought was 'cause I told him he was too cynical and sarcastic. And then there was the time in the locker room when he said some pretty shitty things, but then he - " He abruptly stopped speaking and his face turned bright red. "Er. Anyway."

"What's with that reaction?" Itachi asked. "Why are you blushing?"

"I'm not blushing!" Naruto covered his face. "It's just really warm in here. Yeah, that's it!"

Sasuke chuckled, but Naruto elbowed him in the side.

"Ow, idiot!" Sasuke elbowed him back, and then Naruto shoved him in the shoulder, so Sasuke shoved him, too.

"Boys," Itachi said. "Get a room if you're going to be doing that."

They ended up breaking apart.

"But Sasuke always kicks me out of the room," Naruto mumbled.

"I wonder why that is," Itachi commented lightly.

"Because he's a jerk?"

"Tch." Sasuke turned to him. "You're such a moron."

"Well, it's not entirely a fair fight," said Itachi. "I'm sure you know that Sasuke's been training using martial arts since he was young. Maybe if you knew a few of those techniques, perhaps you could put him in his place more often."

"Did you take any lessons growin' up?" Naruto asked him.

"A few, I'd say," answered his brother.

Sasuke snorted. "He's being modest. He started even younger than me, and was way more advanced than I am now. In fact, he could match his own sensei in terms of ability. He could kick the crap out of both of us if he really wanted to."

"Really?!" Naruto sat up. "Will you show me somethin'?"

"I don't want to hurt you," said Itachi. "Plus, it's been a while. I'm sure Sasuke would make a much better teacher than me."

"But if you're better than him, then I wanna learn under you!"

"You shouldn't say that," said Itachi, "Or you'll make my brother jealous."

Again, Naruto blushed, so it was clear that he got the meaning of his brother's teasing. Sasuke didn't say anything. He wouldn't get too jealous. In fact, he also wanted to see his brother in action. It was the reason he'd gotten into martial arts in the first place. After seeing so many of his brother's matches, he wanted to be able to do that, too, but there was still such a huge gap in their abilities, no matter how hard he worked at it or trained.

"If you insist," said Itachi, and he stood up. "Stand up in front of me."

Obediently, Naruto got to his feet. Itachi put a hand on his shoulder and made sure there was about two feet's distance between them.

"Sasuke, you stand up, too. I want to make sure Naruto doesn't get hurt, so stand about a foot behind him."

Sasuke got up and did as he was told. He went to stand behind Naruto.

Itachi stood there a moment, and it appeared all he was doing was staring at Naruto. But, in an incredibly fast movement, suddenly Itachi gripped the back of Naruto's neck, and within less than a second, Naruto's knees gave out. Instinctively, Sasuke grabbed him in his arms before he could hit the floor. Even after Sasuke picked him up, Naruto couldn't immediately stand without his support.

"What the hell was _that_?" Naruto squawked. He was finally able to get to his feet, so Sasuke let go of him.

"I applied pressure to your carotid artery. Have you heard of a sleeper hold? It's a lot like that. If I applied pressure long enough, you would become disoriented and possibly even pass out. If I tried this on Sasuke, he would probably know how to counter it, wouldn't you?"

Sasuke nodded. "I could hit the pressure point in your elbow first so that you can't get a grip. If you actually had me in a hold, I could turn my head toward your elbow and alleviate some of the pressure on the artery."

"Should I show you another pressure point?" Itachi asked.

"Er," said Naruto. "Don't you wanna try it out on Sasuke?"

"I suppose I could. Sasuke, switch places with him. I don't think we'll need you Naruto, but take his spot just in case."

Sasuke smirked as he stood in front of his brother. "This brings back memories."

Itachi smirked, as well. "Doesn't it? Let's see how much you've learned since then."

"Hn. You're probably rusty - " He didn't even have time to finish before Itachi tried to strike a blow to his sternum with his left hand. Sasuke immediately countered by slapping at his wrist and misdirecting the blow, but he should've noticed that his brother didn't lead with his dominant hand. By the time he did, it was already too late, because Itachi grabbed a hold of his throat, right under his jaw, and pressed upward with his thumb and forefinger to cut off circulation.

It was surprising how quickly it worked, because he started to slip, but then he felt himself being caught from behind.

"Holy shit, you're like a fuckin' ninja!" He heard Naruto cry.

"Not exactly. It's a simple exercise. You can use minimum force on someone if you know about these points, and it makes it easy to disable an enemy without inflicting too much physical damage."

Sasuke stood up and frowned. "You're just showing off now."

"Don't be such a sore loser, Sasuke," said Naruto. "Your brother's fuckin' cool as hell."

"Yes, well why don't you marry him," he responded childishly.

"Maybe I will," said Naruto as he crossed his arms to his chest and scowled.

"As if you'd be my brother's type."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Naruto asked. "I shoulda just dropped you on your ass right then. You were too busy bein' all cocky."

"Shut up," he said. "I could still take you."

"Oh yeah? Let's see you try then."

Itachi stepped between them, putting his hands on their foreheads to keep them separated. "As flattered as I am to have the two of you fighting over me, I assure you that I will not be marrying Naruto."

"Hey, what's wrong with me?" Naruto asked. "Why do you both act like no one would ever want to marry me? I'm not bad to look at, and I'm not a terrible person, and, and..."

"Shut up, Naruto," he said.

Itachi's eyebrow was raised. "I'm not sure what my brother's been telling you to make you feel so worthless, but if I was anywhere close to your age and interested in boys, I can tell you that I might consider it."

Naruto stopped being angry and began to grin goofily. "Really?"

Sasuke scowled. "Why do you look so happy about that?"

"Tch. You're just jealous," Naruto said, trying to take a swing at him, but Itachi was still keeping them apart.

"Why would I be jealous?" he asked. "I'd just hope my brother would have better taste than that. He could have anybody."

"Why you - " Naruto tried to go after him, so Sasuke reached out, too, except his brother grabbed them both by the wrists and swung them on the bed so hard that they bounced and practically landed on top of each other.

"Watching the two of you together is so ridiculous," said Itachi. "But now I see what you're dealing with, Sasuke, and I almost feel sorry for you. Although, not as sorry as I feel for Naruto. Now if you don't mind, _I_ need 15 or 20 minutes to myself, but not for the same reasons as you, little brother. I'm going to take a shower. Don't forget that you promised Naruto you'd teach him something. You know Jirōbō will be coming, and so is Hidan. They'll probably want you to bring out your guitar."

"Really?" Sasuke asked, pleased by this information. "In that case, I might not even mind if Deidara comes with them."

"I'll be sure to tell Deidara you said that. Now if you two don't mind, take your little lovers' spat somewhere else."

Naruto started to sputter, but Sasuke climbed off of him and grabbed him by the wrist. "Come on then. Let's get this over with."

They walked past his brother and into the hallway. Upstairs is where the extra room was located, though they were using it partly as an office and partly as a place for Sasuke to store his keyboard and guitars. He also had some recording equipment up there, but he was really just starting with all of that stuff. After playing with some of the local bands and talking to other people, he became somewhat interested in music production and recording.

He dragged Naruto inside. There was a desk and a computer in the corner. He kept a lot of CDs on one of the shelves, usually sample mixes. He had a few originals, too, but only the accompaniment. He'd sung before when performing, but he didn't think he excelled at it, so he mostly just recorded the instrumental part. His song-writing wasn't particularly exceptional either, but it interested him to come up with verses, bridges, and choruses, and then weave all the lyrics together. It's not as if he ever would've showed anyone, and he had no intention of letting Naruto have a listen anyway.

There was a leather couch up against the side of the wall. He hoped Naruto would've taken a seat on it, but, instead, he went right to the keyboard and poked at the keys.

"This is so friggin' cool," Naruto exclaimed excitedly. He turned it on and pushed at some of the keys. Sasuke immediately turned it off again.

"You're going to break it, idiot," he said.

On the other wall, he had mounted his acoustic (Yamaha A3R) and electric (black and white Fender Telecaster) guitars. He was saving up to buy a bass, too, but the one he wanted would have to come from some store in L.A. He also really wanted a drum set, but it'd have to go in the basement, and he didn't really think his parents would appreciate the noise.

"Ah, this is the guitar that you were playin' in the picture!" Naruto pointed at the Telecaster. "Is it easier to learn the acoustic or the electric? Are they really all that different?"

"They're not that different," said Sasuke. "It depends on the person. I learned acoustic first. Most people do. The notes are the same, but the techniques for each are different. The strings on an acoustic are heavier, so once you get the handle on that, it's easy to transition to the electric. I finger pick on my acoustic, but I use a pick on my electric for the harder sounds, and it moves a lot faster, especially because I like to play punk and rock."

Naruto stared at him. "I..."

Sasuke raised a brow.

"I think I just fell a little bit in love with you," he finished.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and covered his face with a hand. "You're such a flake."

Naruto pushed his hand out of the way. "I am not a flake! I'm complimenting you!"

"You haven't even heard me play yet. Have a seat." He went to retrieve the acoustic before glancing back at the other boy as he moved to the sofa. "And don't touch anything."

Naruto put his hands up in the air. "I'm just sittin' here!"

Sasuke picked up the guitar and brought it over to the couch, slipping the strap over his shoulder. Strumming it a few times, he adjusted the tuning. Not that it had been all that long since he'd last played.

"Alright. I'll play through once so watch my fingers, and then I'll show you the fingering for the different chords and break it down into three parts, okay?"

"Okay," Naruto agreed eagerly. "I'll watch."

Sasuke took in a breath and began to play. Usually there would be a piano accompaniment, too. It was also very hard to play it without humming. Sometimes he watched his fingers, but he didn't need to or anything, it was just a habit. Sometimes he gazed ahead at nothing really, and other times, he'd glance at Naruto, who was nonstop smiling. He only looked up from Sasuke's fingers when Sasuke looked at him. It was funny. When he played, he always slipped into a whole other world. It was relaxing. It didn't bother him much to perform in front of other people either. As he finished, he gave a final strum at the end.

"What is that song?" Naruto asked. "I've never heard it."

"Ghost Towns is the name of it," he answered. "Now I'm going to show you how to play it. It's much easier if you break it up by parts. There's the verse, the bridge, and the chorus. The first verse has two chords, an E minor, and a C major." He demonstrated these for Naruto. "And here's the picking pattern." He repeated that for a while. "See how I just use two fingers? I pluck with my thumb downward on the E string, and then upward on the D string. And then after that, I strum downward with my fingernail on the second and third string." He played it. "And then I pluck the G string toward me."

"G-string?" Naruto asked, smirking at him. "Bet it's the first time you've done that, eh?"

"First and only," Sasuke murmured. "Jerk. Now pay attention."

"I bet guys can wear G-strings, too."

He did his best to ignore him. "Watch how I'm scraping it with my fingernail. It helps if you start off slow with the picking pattern and then go faster. You'll get used to it. The picking pattern stays the same throughout most of the song."

He repeated it for a while and then transitioned to the bridge. "The bridge has the same picking pattern as the verse, but I'm going to add chords. I go from the C, to three on the second string and two on the second string, and then A minor. And this is a G here, but that's sort of difficult to explain. But here's how it sounds. A minor. G. C. Walk up... and let go of the first string, and then we're at the chorus."

Sasuke played a little longer. "So we start with the E minor standard, and instead of the standard C, you hold it here and here so that you mute the fourth string with this finger. I'm muting the top string, too. Then the G, and I keep my pinky here so that it's sort of a D, but an F sharp at the bottom, and those are the chords, but together it's a bit of a slide."

"You realize I have no idea what you're talkin' about," Naruto said to him. "But this is still awesome as hell."

Sasuke smiled distractedly and played the chorus for him again, showing him where there was the first slide. "It starts with the picking pattern, the E minor, right? But the last pluck with my pointer finger is on the fifth string, then the third. Then I slide into the C." He stopped and looked at Naruto. "So, you go slow, and then slide. I go from the C," which he plucked, "and into the G." He moved his hand slow enough for Naruto to be able to follow it. "Open on the third, second on the fourth, third on the fifth. And I drop to the first on the fifth string. Then it goes back to the picking pattern."

"I don't think I could do this," said Naruto. "It looks way too complicated."

"Once you learn the chords, it's not so bad," said Sasuke. "With the parts, it's just verse, bridge, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, and the chorus repeats twice at the end."

"Will you sing a little?" Naruto asked.

"You don't want to hear me sing," he replied as he started strumming from the verse.

"Pretty sure that I do. How about. If you sing just a line or two, I'll do somethin' nice for _you_?"

"Oh? What could you possibly give me that I might want?"

Naruto smirked. "I wonder."

"Hn. Yeah, right."

"Are you rejecting me already?" Naruto teased.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "One or two lines, that's it. I don't like to do what I'm not good at."

"I have a feelin' you have a great voice. You're so hard on yourself, Sasuke."

He shook his head and picked through the first verse, but sang on the bridge, his bare foot tapping on the floor.

"'Cause all my life is wrapped up in today. No past or future here. If I find my name's no good. I just fall out of line." And then the chorus. "But I miss you. There's no comin' home. There's no comin' home. With a name like mine. I still think of _you_. But everyone knows. Yeah, everyone knows. If you can, let it go."

He glanced at Naruto as he sang the second verse. "I've seen more places than I can name. And over time they all start to look the same. But it ain't the truth we chase. No, it's the promise of a better place."

Sasuke's voice was low and gruff, "But all this time, I've been chasin' down a lie. And I know it for what it is. But it beats the alternatives, so I'll take the lie."

He skipped most of the second chorus until, "I still dream of you, but everyone knows. Yeah, everyone knows. If you can, let it go."

Once the vocals were done, he played through to the finish. "Then you continue the picking pattern until the end, just dropping down as you change between the three chords." He stopped and lightly slapped the top of the guitar. "I'm sure that was very riveting for you. What's with that look?"

Naruto was biting his lip, and, with an odd sort of laugh, he glanced down at his lap and scratched the back of his head almost shyly. "I dunno what to say."

Sasuke was considerably amused by the idea of Naruto acting so coy around him. "I find that hard to believe."

"It's hard to imagine one person can be so talented, do y'know what I mean?" Naruto glanced up at him again.

Sasuke felt a bit embarrassed, though ultimately flattered. "It's not that big of a deal."

"So, what do you want?"

"Hm?" He slid the guitar strap off of his shoulder.

"For singin'. I said I'd give you somethin' nice."

"I don't know. Buy me lunch some time?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "That's all you want?"

He smirked. "Well, I would've asked for a handjob, but I know where you stand on that."

"Heh. I _did_ get a bit turned on listenin' to you talk about A minor this and F flat, and sliding whatever. By the way," he said softly and sincerely to Sasuke, "I think you have a very good voice."

"I thought you said that men who only want me because I'm a musician aren't worthy?"

As calmly as he could while feeling slightly flustered by Naruto's praise, Sasuke got up to put the guitar back and stretched his arms out in front of him.

"Was that hard to do with your elbow?" Naruto asked, sounding concerned.

"It wasn't too bad. You did a good job of wrapping it."

After that, they exchanged a look he felt went on longer than necessary. Naruto appeared as though he had something on his mind, but he wasn't inclined to share.

"What's up?" he asked.

Naruto shook his head. He was leaning forward a bit, with his elbows on his knees, and when he tipped his head down, his bangs scattered across his forehead, partially covering his eyes. "I don't know exactly."

He smiled genuinely at him. "Did I impress you?"

Naruto started to bite his lip again. "Yeah."

"Well, if you're done gaping at me like a lovesick puppy," he joked, "Maybe we should go outside and put a pile of the firewood together for tonight."

"Has anyone ever told you...," Naruto tugged at the collar of his shirt and averted his gaze. "Er. Nevermind."

Sasuke approached him, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Has anyone ever told me what?"

"Nothin'."

Sasuke took another few steps closer until he was standing directly in front of him. He placed his hand on top of Naruto's head and ruffled his hair. "You want to do something nice for me? You can tell me what you were going to say."

"Sasuke," he whined at him. "It's embarrassing."

For some reason, Sasuke couldn't not grin at Naruto's whining. Usually it would've annoyed him, but this was... so adorable. Could he use cute to describe anything involving Naruto? Maybe not, but this was as close as it came. He did look embarrassed, and if Sasuke was a better person, he would've left it alone.

Instead, he crouched in front of Naruto in order to see his face.

"Naruto," he said softly and even put a hand on the boy's knee. "Are you going back on your word? I'm very disappointed."

Naruto scoffed, instantly raising his head. "I wouldn't do that, but you should ask for somethin' better! Like, I dunno! Um. I'm not really sure what I can offer you 'cause I can't tutor you in anything, and you can already do a bunch of stuff I can't, and... crap. Now I feel bad when I think about how much I suck compared to you."

Feeling guilty for taunting him, he dropped to his knees, between Naruto's legs, and settled his arms on the other boy's thighs for balance.

"What are you doin'?" Naruto asked.

"Begging?" He smirked.

"Yeah, right. Fine. I was just gonna say that," Naruto heaved a heavy, exaggerated sigh as if he mistakenly thought Sasuke might show mercy, "When you smile... like a few minutes ago..." He glanced away, "You... looked," he sighed one more time and mumbled the rest, "Kind of nice."

He couldn't help it. He started laughing at him.

"What? Don't... don't laugh at me, you _bastard_!" Naruto glared at him.

Sasuke was still laughing. He moved his arms from Naruto's legs and fell back on the rug. He lay there, wiping at his eyes because he'd started to cry from laughing so much.

Naruto got to his feet and stood over him. "You jackass! I take it back. Your smile is dumb and weird, and it freaks me out when you do it 'cause it happens so rarely!"

Placing his hands on his stomach, Sasuke looked up at him, head cocked to the side. "I knew my being gay would eventually rub off on you, but who would've guessed it would happen so soon?"

Naruto kicked at the inside of his ankle. "You suck."

"I'd be willing, yes."

"Don't give me that look," said Naruto.

"What look?" He asked innocently.

"That 'I'm gonna seduce you now' look."

"Me? You're the one going on about my smile."

Naruto huffed. "It's so hard to compliment you since you're always such an ass about it."

"Try it again. I'll do better this time." He held out his hand.

Naruto glanced at it suspiciously, but he did take hold of it, and as Sasuke pulled him, Naruto moved to kneel between his legs. Sasuke drew his own knees up so that they were on either side of him. Naruto used them for his armrests.

"Does this mean I'd be on top?" Naruto asked, the corner of his mouth quirking.

"Depends," he replied. "You could always ride me."

"Is that what _you_ did?" Naruto's voice was low, and it almost looked like the blue in his eyes had turned darker, but it could've been the lack of adequate lighting.

"Is that what _she_ did?"

"Hm." He pat Sasuke's knee. "I don't kiss and tell."

"Then neither do I."

Sasuke bit his lip as he gazed at the other boy. There was something almost seductive about Naruto when he had that intense, perceptive expression. It made him want more physical contact between them. He wiggled his left leg back and forth, meaning it to be playful but hoping Naruto's hand might slide down further, maybe more toward his thigh.

Instead, Naruto gripped it tighter so that he'd stop and pushed it up until it was pressed to the side of his leg again.

"What are you thinking?" He asked Sasuke. "Honestly."

"It's not easy to be honest with you," he replied.

"That's why I added the 'honestly' part, but what you just said there was honest, so I know you're capable of it."

"It doesn't ever seem to benefit me to be honest with you." He wiggled the other leg, and Naruto did the same, gripping it tight so that it stopped. He could feel the warmth and pressure of his fingers through the denim.

Naruto returned to resting his arms on Sasuke's knees. "You're still so evasive. I thought we'd really made progress earlier."

He smirked. "I wouldn't want you to think I'm easy. You might lose interest."

"I doubt it." Naruto said it so quickly it made Sasuke's heart skip a beat. Finally, his right hand slipped just a bit forward, inching down his leg. Naruto rubbed at the spot as if trying to get something off of it though there was nothing there. He scratched his fingernails across it; it seemed as though both of their attention was focused on Naruto's hand.

"Naruto," he whispered, knowing a little heat slipped into his tone.

"Hmm?"

"I thought we talked about you keeping your distance."

"I know. I thought about it. But I find it's... a bit difficult sometimes." With his eyes on Sasuke's, he shifted forward so that he was on his hands and knees, face in line with his stomach. "Your shirt's riding up." Naruto gave it a tug, knuckles dragging above the waistband of his jeans.

Sasuke reached for him and, gently, touched his cheek; Naruto moved into the gesture, turning his head so that his lips brushed against Sasuke's fingers. Then, he spared Sasuke a very knowing, provocative smirk.

"You suck," Sasuke said to him, his own eyelids becoming hooded.

"I bet you'd like that," Naruto replied.

"You have no idea." He sighed and closed his eyes, throwing an arm over them. Just looking at Naruto... he wanted so much. Wanted something to happen, and yet the anticipation, even if it never happened was burning him alive.

But, then he felt a hand slide under his shirt, equally as hot as it skimmed his lower stomach, jerking up his shirt as it went. He knew he let out a gasp. Another hand took hold of his hip while the other came to a stop mid-way up his stomach. It was when he felt hot breath ghost across his skin - just above his navel - that he uncovered his eyes and looked down to see nothing but blond hair. Because Naruto was, indeed, very cruel, he didn't stop there. He blew another puff of hot air against him, and it raised goosebumps all over his skin. Lowering his head, Naruto paused for a second or two before pressing his lips to Sasuke's stomach. Not a kiss, not even the pressure of a tongue - only the feel of his slightly chapped lips against him. Raising his head, Naruto brushed his nose along the dip of his belly-button and glanced up at him.

At the time, there had been a flash of humor in his eyes, but the instant he looked at Sasuke, it seemed to disappear, changing into something else entirely. Clearing his throat, Naruto tugged his shirt down for him and ran a hand over the front as if to smooth out any wrinkles. He searched Sasuke's face and looked as though he was trying to come up with the right words or an explanation. Sasuke didn't know any more than he did about what had just happened. He was still high on the feel of Naruto's fingers, his mouth, his hot breath on Sasuke's skin. He would've done absolutely anything at that point, anything Naruto would've wanted or asked for... he wondered if his eyes were conveying that, as well?

Naruto did seem to be caught between doing something more and pulling away.

When Sasuke spoke, it was with a very rough, wanting tone of voice. "Is this the part where I tell you to take responsibility?"

Naruto's laughter was equally hoarse. "I don't suppose you're wearing that chastity belt we talked about before?"

"If I ever was," he said, licking his lips, "I took it off during that 15 to 20 minutes I had to myself."

Naruto's eyes widened and his mouth formed a silent 'o'. He sat back on his knees, but one of his hands rested at the juncture where Sasuke's thigh met his hip. He probably wasn't even aware of it, but it was a very... _distracting_ place to leave it.

"Seriously?" He asked, and when Sasuke nodded at him. "...Why?"

"I told you," he replied. "I'm attracted to you. You kept saying all the right things and snuggling up against me and... laying on top of me. What did you expect?"

Naruto's expression kept wavering in indecision. "So you said, but I didn't think you really meant it all _that_ way. I just sort of thought you found me attractive-ish, not that you were so attracted to me that you got turned on..." He started to touch his lips with his index and middle finger. "You jerked off because of me?"

Sasuke stared at him. "Like I'm going to answer that out loud."

"Wait. Are you turned on now?"

"I probably won't be after another few minutes since you're acting like an idiot."

Naruto removed his hand as if on reflex. "Sorry. Should I say sorry? I'm not sure."

Sasuke almost laughed at him. "Maybe I should be the one saying thank you?"

Naruto gave him another one of those conflicted looks, but he remained quiet for a while, gaze somewhere around Sasuke's left front belt loop.

A few more minutes passed until he spoke again.

"If I ask... whether you thought about me," Naruto looked at him in earnest, "Would you tell me?"

"If I 'thought about you'?" Sasuke repeated. "Why does it matter?"

Naruto frowned and apparently forgetting himself, moved forward again so that he hovered over him on hands and knees. "It _matters_," he said. "Of course it _matters_. How can you ask that?"

"Because I don't see how it makes any difference. So what if I thought about you? You're still straight. I could lie to you if you don't want to hear it, if it will change things between us."

Naruto leaned down even closer to his face, scowling angrily. "I don't want you to_lie_ to me. I'm not a little kid. You _are_ honest when you're not always so afraid of the consequences."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I'm not afraid."

"Aren't you? You're afraid I'll reject you. You won't be honest with your parents either."

"The fuck," Sasuke spat, trying to sit up but Naruto pressed the heel of his hand hard into the center of his chest.

"What?" said Naruto. "I thought we were bein' honest with each other."

"Get off of me, Naruto."

Naruto's eyes flicked back and forth across his face. "Why won't you just trust me?"

Sasuke glared. "I don't know how, okay? I don't know how to trust someone else. Even you."

"Okay." Naruto sat up and even got off of him. "If that's how you honestly feel, then there's nothin' I can say to convince you."

He left Sasuke lying on the rug, clearly disappointed with him as he walked out of the room and headed downstairs.

"Fuck," he said.

Who did Naruto think he was? He's the one that started doing all that stuff, and then he had the balls to be surprised that it was doing something to him? The hell? He couldn't decide if he should run after him and beat the shit out of him, or... what would have happened if he'd said yes to Naruto's question? If he'd told him the truth? Would it have changed Naruto's mind about being with him? Is that what he even wanted? He knew he wasn't opposed to something physical. Clearly.

Then he remembered what Naruto had said earlier about being afraid of something like that coming between their friendship. Were they friends? Sasuke thought so, though he wasn't likely to admit it. It was more than that, however. He wanted Naruto to stick around; he was _more_ than attracted to him. But, he was afraid. If he was completely honest, yes, he was fucking _terrified_ of pursuing anything more than that, but it was mostly because... what if Naruto could never feel that way about him?

Hadn't he just walked out on him because he'd realized what Sasuke had done? He hadn't looked disgusted, but...

No, that wasn't it. He wanted to pretend it was, but he knew that Naruto was disappointed in him because...

Well, that didn't matter anyway. He _wasn't_ Naruto. It wasn't as easy for him to say how he felt and trust in people and rely on the truth or whatever stupid ideals that filled Naruto's empty skull.

He shouldn't expect that of him. He should accept Sasuke for who he is, including all of his faults and hang-ups!

This is how he'd survived for so long. These were his defenses. Why should Naruto be the exception? How could he demand it of him?

Sasuke covered his face with his hands.

What could he do? What did he even want?

When he'd had the idea of Naruto spending the weekend with him, it had unfolded so differently in his head, and now it had become something else altogether. It felt like there was no way of going back. Like, Naruto was this storm in his life demanding that he change, that he grow up, that he...should learn to... give up some of that control he struggled so much to keep hold of.

Fucking Naruto.

He should've been a dick to him on the first day. He should've continued trying to ignore him instead of getting more deeply involved. Now he was all confused about what to do and how he felt, and he was a person that _never_ got confused. He'd always known where he was going, what path he was headed down, so who was Naruto to him that he'd let him be thrown off course?

Fuck that shit, he was Sasuke Uchiha, dammit. The hell he'd let some blond idiot get inside his head.


	10. Chapter 10

By the time Sasuke could get himself to stand up and stop yelling at Naruto inside of his head like a crazy person, he went down the stairs just in time to see his parents (as well as Naruto) coming through the door while carrying an unexpected overabundance of groceries. Immediately, it was his response to ask if there was anything else that needed to be carried in, but his father insisted he not overexert himself.

"If it's only groceries, I can handle that much. I'm fine, Dad."

Naruto brushed past him to set some bags on the counter, and then went right by him again without making eye contact. That was... surprisingly annoying.

Before he could follow after him to help, his mother placed her hand to his forehead, checking for a temperature. Why were people always doing that to him? Did he really look that awful?

"I'm fine," he murmured. "I was a little overheated earlier. I'm good now."

"Well, we'll keep an eye on you just to make sure. Your father and I bought you some Gatorade and some cold medicine, but you're not coughing and you don't have a fever. Maybe we should have Naruto sleep in the spare room? Or, I'm sure Itachi could spend the night with one of his friends tonight or even take the basement."

He couldn't decide if that was a good suggestion or not. Considering everything going on between them whenever they shared the same space, maybe they both needed room to breathe, and yet the idea of not sharing a bed with Naruto tonight also... felt kind of disappointing.

"We'll see," he ended up saying. "I'll ask Naruto."

"Okay, dear. Whatever you want. By the way, I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that your father and I are going on a date tonight. We know you boys want to have your own fun with the bonfire, and since Itachi's going to be here, we thought you might like for us to leave."

"You don't have to do that," he murmured, though that was very thoughtful of her.

"It's not just for you," she said, leaning in close. "How often does your father ask me out to dinner and a movie?"

"Rarely." Sasuke smiled at her.

By then, Naruto had come in with the rest of the groceries.

"I think this is the last of them," he said.

"Thank you for your help, son," said Fugaku, putting a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Are you this helpful around your own home?"

"Er." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I try to be, but my room _is_ pretty sloppy, and I'm really bad at folding laundry. My dad says I even fold the socks wrong."

Fugaku actually chuckled, which surprised Sasuke greatly. "Well, honestly I can't say I'm a big fan of laundry either."

"Or ironing," Mikoto added. "Or cooking. You know, I think Sasuke inherited his cooking skills from his father."

Naruto smiled crookedly at her. So far, he'd yet to even glance Sasuke's way. Why did that irritate him so much? Wasn't he the one that was supposed to be angry? And now both of his parents were fawning all over him.

"Well, that may be," said Fugaku. "But at least he gets his good looks from his mother."

"Oh, you," Mikoto giggled and touched her husband's arm.

Sasuke wanted to ask if they'd been drinking, but he happened to notice Naruto's broadening smile.

"It's cool to see a couple that's still in love after bein' married so long," Naruto told his parents.

"You know, Naruto. You're so charming that if I wasn't married and a mother of two older boys, and also about two and a half times your age..." She stopped there, thank God.

"I can only hope that someday a woman as pretty as you would take interest in me, Mrs. Uchiha," said Naruto. "I'd be very flattered and grateful."

As Mikoto went to hug Naruto, Sasuke inwardly felt an odd pang of something very unpleasant. For the time being, he tried to ignore it so that it wouldn't show on his face.

"I never thought I'd have to worry about losing my wife to someone my youngest son's age," said Fugaku, but he was smiling.

When Mikoto released Naruto from the hug, he appeared a little shocked. There was an odd mix of emotions playing on his face, like he was either about to laugh or burst into tears.

"Heh. I feel a bit embarrassed now," Naruto mumbled. "Um. Do you have anything else you need me to do? I may not look it, but I'm pretty good with my hands. You said on the way in you were gonna do some yard work. I used to do the mowin' when we were in Illinois. I'd like to help out if I can."

Mikoto and Fugaku exchanged a look.

"Dear, you don't have to do anything. You're supposed to relax and do what boys do," said his mother. She glanced (what he perceived to be) curiously at Sasuke. "Surely you two would rather play video games or something else fun?"

"I don't mind," said Naruto. "We've already done a lot of that stuff. Might be good to get some fresh air since it's still nice out. If Sasuke's not feelin' well, he could hang out inside and chill."

"That's true," agreed Mikoto. "If he is coming down with something, maybe we should let him rest some more before tonight."

"I said I was fine," Sasuke insisted, knowing his tone was short and snappish. But, really.

The three of them glanced at him and, oddly, with very similar expressions.

"Sorry. But I'm feeling fine now. I'd also like to help outside if you're going to be doing work around the house."

"If you really think you're feeling up to it." said Fugaku. "Your mother wanted to get a jump on the garden and the area around the porch, so there are several bags of mulch in the back of the car. I suppose the two of you could carry those out and help her."

"Sounds good to me. I love to do that kinda stuff," Naruto offered cheerfully.

Honestly. Was he the _only_ one that could tell Naruto was faking it? He sent him a glare, but the other boy continued to pretend as though he didn't exist.

"Now that that's settled," said Mikoto. "Let me find a few pairs of gloves, and we'll get started. I'm so excited!"

"I'll do some mowing in the back before it gets too dark," said Fugaku. "What's your brother up to, Sasuke?"

"He was going to take a shower last time I talked to him," he replied.

"I wonder if he has a lot of work to do before he goes back to Stanford."

"Knowing Itachi, he's probably already finished everything," said Sasuke.

"You're probably right. I've never had to worry much about him," Fugaku commented absently. "I suppose I should change then. We only have so much time before our dinner reservations."

Sasuke peered at the clock on the microwave. It was a little after 4.30.

"Sasuke, do you know what time all of Itachi's friends are coming over?" asked Mikoto.

"I'm not sure. Itachi didn't say. Maybe around 7 or 8? I think they were going out afterward."

"Well, before your father and I leave, I'll make sure all your snacks and food are set out. Naruto," she glanced at the blond very seriously, "Now make sure Sasuke wears something warm or bring a blanket out. It can get very cold at night here, and we wouldn't want him to spend all spring break sick now, would we?"

It was the first time Naruto bothered to acknowledge him since the incident upstairs. He regarded Sasuke quickly and returned his gaze to Mikoto.

"Yes, ma'am," said Naruto. "I'll make sure of it."

"I want to pinch your cheeks, but I won't because I know it will embarrass Sasuke," she said. "You really are adorable, Naruto, and a very _nice_ young man. I have a feeling the girls at your school won't stand a chance once they get to know you."

"Er..." Naruto bit his lip. "I dunno about that. But, thank you for sayin' so."

Afterward, his mother and father went to change and get their various tools. It left the both of them alone in the kitchen. Naruto did look over at him; Sasuke looked back. He wasn't exactly sure what Naruto was thinking, but in his eyes, he could tell that he was thinking deeply about something.

"I'll head out first," Naruto mumbled and immediately retreated out of the kitchen. Sasuke heard the front door open and close. Then he could see Naruto going down the walkway toward the driveway. The trunk of his dad's SUV was open and Naruto started pulling the heavy bags of mulch out by himself.

Frowning, Sasuke watched for just a little while, with every intention of going out to help. It was hard to stay mad at Naruto, especially when he had that kicked puppy look. It did seem that everything with Naruto was complicated. At first, he'd thought Naruto was a lot more simple, and, frankly, an idiot. But the more time he spent with him, the more he realized Naruto was an incredibly complex and unpredictable person. That type of personality made Sasuke very edgy to say the least. He didn't know how to deal with him, even after all the time they'd spent together, and yet, Naruto always seemed to know the right thing to say to him when he needed it.

But, Sasuke didn't think he had what it took to do the same. That made him angry, too. More at himself, obviously. How was he 16 years old and this terrible at dealing with other people? How could he look at Naruto and know he wanted to make things right, but not be able to go out there and do it? What did it take to be that kind of person? What had made Naruto that way?

Discouraged, he sighed. Finally, he saw his mother come out from the garage. She was pushing a wheelbarrow that had a couple of shovels in it. Smiling, she went up to Naruto and offered him a pair of gloves. For some reason - and he didn't know how she knew he was still there - she turned around and waved at him. It drew Naruto's attention to the window, too, but only briefly. He immediately returned to unloading mulch into the wheelbarrow after tossing the shovels on the ground.

"Damn it," he muttered.

He went to the entranceway, put on his shoes, and headed out the door to join them. 

* * *

The three of them spent the next hour spreading mulch around the front of the house. Naruto talked with his mother about a lot of random things. He realized Naruto was particularly good at asking questions, and, unlike some people, he seemed genuinely interested in the answers. He had to admit his mother looked incredibly happy to have someone to talk to about flowers, plants, and gardening. They talked about other things, too, and Sasuke listened, but tried hard to pretend that he wasn't.

Only someone who wasn't as good at small talk, who was really lousy at asking people about themselves, could appreciate the ease with which Naruto spoke to others. Sasuke almost found himself jealous, not about Naruto monopolizing his mother, but of the fact, well... would it be so bad if he paid him a little attention, too? The best Sasuke could do was ask Naruto to hand him the rake that was leaning against the side of the house so that he could use it. Naruto did so without a word to him or any kind of eye contact. His mother seemed oblivious to the tension, but maybe she was that engaged in her conversation with Naruto.

"What did you say, dear?" Mikoto asked him.

He must've muttered something under his breath without realizing it. "Nothing, Mother. What time did you say your reservation was for?"

"Seven," she answered. "You know, at the one steakhouse your father likes but won't ever take us to because it's so expensive."

Of course, that led Naruto to ask questions about where they usually went to eat and what kind of food she liked best. Sasuke was, once again, forgotten. After he finished raking, he gave up on the landscaping in favor of going around to the back of the house to see if his father needed any help. He could hear the mower going and thought he might walk out to the firepit to see if there was enough wood. As he opened the fence to the back yard, he saw his father on the riding mower, wearing a pair of headphones to protect his ears from the noise. He also had on this funny straw hat he and Itachi had bought him for Father's Day last year. When he saw Sasuke, he waved to him; Sasuke waved back.

He wondered what Itachi was up to, but he supposed his brother wanted some time to himself. He was probably anxious to get back to school and see all of his other friends. On his way to the shed, he thought about Yahiko and what about him he'd been attracted to. Sure, he was older and had experience with guys, but beyond the physical, had there been much else?

As a comparison, he thought about Naruto, too, and wondered what, if any, were the similarities there? Did he have a type when it came to men? Was Naruto his type? Sasuke, honestly, had never considered it. He didn't have any gay friends his age. In fact, the most he'd ever talked about it to anyone his age was with Naruto, so it's not as if he knew how everything worked exactly.

But Naruto was apparently too busy avoiding him in favor of his mother.

Love, relationships, dating... all of it had never been a priority for him because he'd never considered it a real possibility. Not only because of his parents, but why did the idea of dating a boy while he was in high school seem so unappealing? Maybe dating itself just wasn't appealing to him, and yet, spending time with Naruto had awakened him to the benefits of having someone there to talk to, to provide comfort, to give support, and the physical aspect of it wasn't so bad either. The glances, the smallest touches... the times he got to hold Naruto's hand... all of it was nice, welcome even. He wasn't even referring to the times where he felt like he'd love to jump Naruto, but the other stuff, too, like being able to hold Naruto in his arms, comfort him, and want only good things to happen to him, or that he could have such an effect on Naruto's moods. Even though it was annoying, knowing that he was the one who'd caused Naruto to get so pissed off was somehow...

Oh.

Exhilarating?

Sasuke smirked, remembering the time Naruto came to see him in the nurse's office. What Naruto did then, was that friendship? Was it more? He supposed if he was to really think on it, what he would ideally want in another partner was... everything he had with Naruto. But, it was more complicated than that. At best, they could really only be friends. Maybe the line would continue to blur. Maybe he should draw that line more definitively, but he also didn't think he could stick to it.

So what answer could he possibly give to Naruto, and would it be worth it?

It made his head hurt to try and figure it out.

The shed and firepit was a good walk from the back of the house, but it seemed short once he'd lost himself to his thoughts. The pit was nicely landscaped. It was surrounded by a circle of neutral colored flat stones, and usually they put the branches that fell from the trees in it, so there was a large pile already in there. He stepped over to the shed and unlocked the door. It was dark and smelled musty. He wanted to make sure there'd be everything they might need - the long metal prongs for the hot dogs and marshmallows, some lighter fluid, and buckets for water or sand to put the fire out. There were also some benches and folding chairs. He figured he could at least take some of those out and arrange them around the pit for now. As he was hauling out the folding chairs, he saw Naruto heading this way but pretended to ignore him. After he'd finished setting up the chairs, Naruto walked up and stood beside him.

"Can I help?" He asked Sasuke.

"Don't you have more chores you'd like to do with my mother?"

"Not really," he said. "We finished up, and so she was going to go take a shower and get ready for dinner."

"Well, I'm fine here," Sasuke told him. "You can go inside and do what you want."

But Naruto didn't go, he just stood there, watching him.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto folded his arms behind his head. There was a sheen of sweat on his skin. He also swore he appeared a bit darker in complexion than even this morning. He almost wanted to ask if Naruto did tan easily, but then he remembered he was supposed to be angry.

"If you're just going to stare at me," he said, "Why don't you at least get out of my way?"

"Oh," Naruto said in a mocking tone, "Am I in your way?"

Sasuke glared at him. "Always."

Naruto chuckled and glanced up at the sky.

"What's so funny?" Sasuke asked.

"You," Naruto answered, lowering his gaze from the clouds to look at him. "You're so stubborn. Y'know that?"

"You're ridiculous." Walking past Naruto - and bumping harder than necessary into his shoulder - he went into the shed to grab one of the benches. Without having asked for his help, Naruto followed and grabbed the other end to help him carry it out.

"Where do you want it?" Naruto asked.

"Here's fine," he said, and they set it opposite of the chairs. He wasn't sure how many friends Itachi invited, but they could always bring out more seating if necessary.

For a moment, he really _did_ consider starting a conversation about all the stuff he'd been thinking about, but... it was too hard for him. He always expected Naruto to be the one to bring it up, but it was almost as if Naruto was testing him, as if he was waiting for Sasuke to realize that he expected him to do it this time. Could Naruto even come up with a scheme like that, or was he just overthinking things? And why did he care?

"Um, so. Are you goin' back in then?" Naruto asked. "Or are you just gonna stay out here and glare at the bench?"

"Why?" He asked nastily. "Do you have a problem with me glaring at the bench?"

"Not really. At least you're not glarin' at me, so that's fine."

"Well, I'm glad I have your approval."

Naruto made a humming noise, but he didn't say anything. Finally, he shrugged.

"Suit yourself," he told Sasuke and, sticking his hands in his pockets, started back toward the house.

Sasuke watched him go, frustrated and perplexed. He slammed the door shut and locked it. Not wanting to look like he was in a hurry to catch up, he only walked briskly toward the blond, who was moving a lot slower than him. His father had stopped mowing and had presumably gone inside to get ready for dinner. As Naruto walked up to the koi pond, Sasuke followed after him silently. Like this morning, Naruto crouched by the edge of the water and swirled his fingers along the surface. Some of the fish swam over to him, acting very interested in his fingers. When one of them nibbled at Naruto's fingertip, the boy let out a quiet laugh of delight and glanced up at Sasuke with a pleased grin. The sun was directly behind Sasuke, so it was hitting Naruto in the face, forcing him to squint and hold a hand up to shield his eyes. Sasuke moved a little to the side so that it better blocked the sunlight for him.

"You really like this pond, don't you?" Sasuke asked softly.

"I do." Naruto dropped his hand and went back to tormenting the fish. They seemed to like it for some reason. Masochistic fish.

"I'm sure you could feed them," he said, "If you wanted to."

"Mm. That's okay. I'm fine like this." Naruto sat down on the grass, crossed his legs underneath him, and leaned back on his arms. "It feels nice out."

"It does," Sasuke replied a little awkwardly.

It wasn't especially easy for him to make conversation when it felt forced. He didn't know why it felt forced exactly, but, for him, it was just difficult to talk about things that didn't matter when he thought there were other things that needed to be said.

With his eyes on the water, Naruto said to him in a quiet voice, "You could sit down next to me. If you wanted."

Sasuke studied the back of his head before complying. He sat beside Naruto, but with a fair amount of space between them. He also sat cross-legged but was hunched forward, distracting himself by watching the fish. Two of them were chasing each other around, and the smaller one was nipping at the other's tail.

"That little guy's feisty," Naruto said.

"It could be a female. Look at the belly. It's swollen. Or do I need to explain the facts of life to you?"

"Might be a little late for that." Naruto picked at the grass and then threw the blades to the breeze. "I like the smell of freshly cut grass, don't you?"

"I suppose," he replied, closely watching him. "I hadn't really thought about it before."

"Really?" Naruto turned to look at him. "That's weird, isn't it? You know, the smell of cut grass, gasoline, the markers you used to play with in kindergarten?"

"You sniffing markers at a young age explains a lot." He smirked, but Naruto frowned at him and mumbled.

"And people say _I'm_ never serious."

Sasuke sighed. "What is it you want from me, Naruto?"

"Nothin'," he answered. "I'm not sure I have any expectations anymore."

Sasuke didn't know what he meant by that, but it still managed to sting. "So that's it? You don't expect anything from me? Why? Because I haven't lived up to your expectations and inconsistent principles?"

"I'm okay if that's what you want to think of it as," Naruto replied, poking at the water.

Sasuke reached over and took hold of his wrist, bringing it toward him. He had so much he wanted to say, but he couldn't figure out where to start.

"What?" Naruto asked, narrowing his eyes at him and then at the fingers on his wrist. "What is it you want to say, Sasuke?"

"Plenty." He let his fingers press even harder on the underside of Naruto's wrist as if feeling for his pulse. "What you're doing isn't fair to me."

"What am I doing?"

"You're testing me," he replied. "It's irritating."

"I'm not _testing_ you," said Naruto.

"Because I've already failed? You're such a hypocrite. You expect me to give you some answer to a question _neither_ of us has really asked, and I know you know_why_." For a breath, he drew Naruto's hand closer toward him before letting it fall to the ground. "Tch. I don't know why I bother. You're so judgmental."

"Me?" Naruto asked. "How am _I_ judgmental? I've been nothing but open with you, and all you ever do is put up walls. You've made it clear you want me to stop tryin' to get past them, so what else do you want me to do?"

Sasuke bit his lip. "...I don't know."

"If you don't know, then how the hell should I know?" Naruto asked, bottom lip sticking out as he sulked.

"Because," he said. "You always know. You always know what to say or what the right thing is to do."

"Not always." Naruto returned to leaning back on his arms, his gaze drifting up again even though it seemed to be directly confronting the sun. "That's too much pressure anyway. To assume I always can do the right thing. I don't _wanna_ always do the right thing. Sometimes I wanna do the wrong thing even though I know it's wrong, and sometimes I want things I wouldn't even know what to do with..." He looked at Sasuke after saying this. "Y'know?"

"I know."

"And there we are." Naruto smiled lop-sidedly and shrugged as if it was no big deal, as if it was all a finality. The end had come before anything had even started. "No one gets hurt. As you pretty much said before, what would be the point, right?"

"I suppose." He kept staring at Naruto, wondering why it felt as if his heart had just been broken.

"So, that means you can stop jerkin' off so much. I'll be sure to keep my distance."

Sasuke lowered his head. "I don't jerk off _that_ much."

"Well, whatever. It's none of my business. Jerk off as much as you want or as little, or somewhere in between. I wouldn't want you to think I'm tellin' you what to do with your life."

"Now you're just being an asshole," he remarked.

"So. Who cares?" Naruto scowled petulantly at him. "I thought that... I guess I thought..." He shook his head. "I was probably wrong anyway. I usually am. I'm not as smart as you, so it's not like I have all the answers. Not even close."

"What did you think?" Sasuke asked him, genuinely curious. "That I'd confess? Is that what you want to hear?"

Naruto shrugged again. "I dunno. I thought if you told me what you obviously didn't want to, that I'd automatically know how to handle it. But, I suppose you're right. That's unfair. So what if you're attracted to me? Doesn't mean you'd date me. Doesn't mean you're in love with me. Doesn't mean it _means_ anything at all. I guess I just felt like, after Mom died... I didn't really wanna waste time playing games. I'd rather be honest with people so they know where I stand. To tell you the truth, I don't think people really like when others are honest with them. Sometimes I don't even like it. I'm sure you think I do it 'cause I have some... sense of justice or I'm bein' a champion of the truth or whatever, but... it's really 'cause I only want to put my time into the stuff that's really worth it. That's meaningful. Your friendship," he plucked at more of the grass, not looking at Sasuke, "It meant somethin' to me. I admired you from the moment I met you... and when you were honest with me in the locker room about bein' gay... I was just so... in awe, I think."

"You," said Sasuke, "Were in awe of... me?"

"Sure. I guess I felt drawn to you even more than before, but when you kissed me, I thought... it must've had to do with the relief you felt in tellin' someone. And that you trusted me enough to tell me... I guess I didn't think of it beyond that. I wouldn't have flattered myself to think someone like you could like me. And I still don't think..." He sighed and didn't seem like he would continue his thoughts.

"Finish," Sasuke urged. "Please."

Naruto shook his head. "It doesn't matter." He brought his knees to his chest, hugged them, and rested his head there, gazing sadly at Sasuke. "There's only two more years of high school. I think I'd like to go back to Illinois for college. That's where my friends are. We'd all made plans go to the same place. Maybe my dad will be ready to go back by then... and, y'know. You'll go to college, probably to some Ivy League school or somewhere else amazing, and you won't even remember me."

It took a moment for Sasuke to process the idea of Naruto not sticking around after college. He hadn't thought of that, but maybe he should've. Maybe he could consider it a blessing, a reason not to get any closer to Naruto from now on, or to dial down his affection to nothing more than friendship. They could hang out, talk to each other at school, pretend as if this confusing, topsy-turvy weekend had never existed for either of them, but the truth was... it had.

There was something there, and as much as he was afraid to admit it, Naruto was, too.

"Naruto," he found himself saying.

"Hm?" Naruto replied on reflex.

"In a perfect world...I would want more."

"More? What more?"

Sasuke sighed. "Just... more."

"Master of vague, Obi-Wan strikes back," said Naruto.

"It's a little difficult for me," he replied irritably, "I'm not as good at sharing my feelings as you are."

"No kidding."

"Why are you being a jerk right now when I'm _trying_ as hard as I can?"

Naruto looked shocked by his words. "...Sorry. That's... not really my intention. It's... frustrating, I guess. Sorry."

"Stop apologizing. Now _I_ feel bad. I only want to say that I'd prefer you not be mad at me. I'll try to figure out how to be more open about these things. I..." He let out a growl. "Why is this so hard?"

"Years of intense repression?" Naruto suggested, a slow smirk spreading across his face.

"Explains why I'm always trying to jump you, doesn't it?"

Naruto barked out a laugh. "I cannot believe you just said that."

Sasuke smirked. "I told you I was trying. I don't feel comfortable sharing_everything_, not even with Itachi."

Naruto nodded. "I get it. No hard feelings. Let's just... let it go. We'll have a good time tonight. Other people will be there that are cool. We'll go to bed, and then I'll go home tomorrow, and I won't be in your face all the time."

"Naruto," he said. "That's never been the problem."

"Sorta feels like it."

Sasuke resisted the urge to move closer to him. He glanced up at the window of his parents' bedroom. Not that he'd be able to see into it with all that glare, but the blinds seemed to be drawn.

"It's me, I think," he quietly posed. "Even your flaws are all fairly attractive, so I can't see how it's you."

Naruto's mouth started to open and close, resembling the fish he'd been tormenting.

"What? Don't look so surprised." He leaned over and put his finger between Naruto's eyebrows, trying to force the wrinkles down. "That offends me, don't raise them like that."

"Life is weird," Naruto said, "'Cause I swear to God if you were a girl, I would think... jeez, she's amazing. Except, I'd still figure you were so outta my league that I wouldn't even consider askin' you out, and you'd probably treat me like an idiot just like you do now, but I wouldn't be able to keep away from you, and I'd always wanna say, 'you're so smart, Sasuke' or 'why can't you see how much potential you have, you friggin' bastard?'."

"Well." He licked his lips and considered what Naruto was trying to say, "If _you_ were a girl. Actually, I suppose if you were a girl, I would feel differently because I would never be attracted to you, but if I _was_ a girl, as unpleasant as that sounds... I suppose I'd think something similar. That you were too good for me, and that you'd think I'm too different and too difficult to ever match you in a way that you'd deserve."

"Like you said," Naruto's hand found its way into the grass, and he moved it over until it was on top of Sasuke's, "In a perfect world."

"Or," Sasuke attempted a smile, "We wait a few years, when we're older and wiser and have a little more idea about how relationships work, and I will attempt to sway you about the perks of dating a man."

Naruto squinted one eye shut as he tilted his head, the sun hitting him again. "Can we still make out from time to time?"

Sasuke smiled even wider. "Maybe. We'll see."

"What if we're at prom, and someone spikes the punch so we're both drunk, and you accidentally stick your hand down my pants?"

"Why would I do that? Of the two of us, you're far more crude. It sounds like something you'd do."

"True," Naruto said with a short nod. "You are a bit of a prude, so I s'pose if one of us was gonna make a move, it'd have to be me."

"Not entirely true," he said, a bit offended. "If I come off that way, it's only because you keep reminding me of your heterosexuality and how you'd probably shag me _if_I was a girl."

"That's not what I said! I said even if you - "

Sasuke sat forward and had to use his other hand to cover Naruto's mouth. "Shh. You're too loud. Everyone in the neighborhood is going to hear you."

"So? I dunno your neighbors."

"Tch. You're so reckless."

"You are."

"Hardly. I'm anything but or I would've had my way with you by now." He smirked at Naruto and removed his hand from underneath the other boy's.

Naruto smiled at him coyly before running his hand through his own hair, ruffling up the back.

"Now it's sticking up everywhere," Sasuke said and, without even thinking about it, reached over to fix it.

On a whim it seemed, Naruto, with a rather intense look, grabbed for that hand and squeezed it. But, suddenly he blinked a few times, let out an embarrassed chuckle, and dropped it on the ground.

"Sorry. I dunno why I did that."

"It's all that sexual tension," Sasuke said, attempting to make it sound like a joke, but it was clear that remained an issue for them.

Naruto blew out a breath. "I suppose we should go back in, huh? I bet your parents are ready to go. I've never taken so many showers in one day, but I think I'm gonna need one more."

"I don't know. I don't mind your smell."

"Gross dude," he said to Sasuke and got to his feet, holding out his hand for Sasuke to take.

He reached for it and held on a little while longer before allowing himself to be pulled up. Surprising him, Naruto threw an arm around his shoulders.

Sasuke glared. "What are you doing?"

"It's what friends do, right?"

"No. It's annoying." He tried to push Naruto off of him, but the blond wouldn't budge.

"Shut up. You know you like it," Naruto said. "Me thinks thou doth protest too much."

"You probably don't even know what that's from."

"Sure I do. It's from Dr. Who or whatever. I think I heard it there."

"You really are an idiot." Sasuke glanced at him with a smile, lifting his bangs out of the way.

"For a little longer, I can be your idiot." Naruto grinned at him and then dropped his arm to nudge him in the side with an elbow. "I'm sure that's what you'll be thinkin' when you take your shower at least."

Sasuke suddenly put his own arm around Naruto's shoulders and pulled him in close so that he could whisper in his ear. "And if I do?"

"Um..."

"Like you won't think about it when you're in there? Me, as perfect as I am, thinking about you, some dead-last loser. How I'd only be imagining all the ways I can bring you pleasure," he lowered his voice, "About how to make you feel good until you were moaning my name and whimpering under me... Oh Sasuke, yes Sasuke..." He laughed when he saw the way Naruto's face turned bright red.

Even though Naruto had stopped walking, Sasuke continued on toward the house.

A minute or two later, Naruto caught up to his side.

"Ha ha, asshole. Very funny."

"I thought it was," he replied, smiling in a cocksure manner.

"You still never answered my question, though."

"What question was that?" He held open the gate for Naruto.

"Whether you really thought about me, y'know," he waited for Sasuke to close the gate, "While you masturbated."

"Is it really that important?" Sasuke asked.

"I'd... like to know."

"Fine." Sasuke stuck his hands in his pockets as they walked side by side. "I thought about you while I jerked off. The dirtiest stuff I could think of, but so what," he said, glancing at Naruto sidelong, "It's not as if it was the first time."

"WHAT?!"

He sniggered and smacked the boy on the back of the head. "Get over it. I'm going inside." He stopped near the walkway when Naruto hadn't followed after him yet. "Are you coming?"

Naruto scrunched his nose. "I dunno. Is _that_ what I do in all your graphic fantasies of me?"

Sasuke smirked. "As much as I can make you."

"Graaaaah! Life is so cruel!"

He sniggered. "Come on, idiot. It's going to be colder later on. Did you bring a sweatshirt?"

"No, but I have my school blazer."

"That's just going to smell like smoke if you wear it out. Plus, you'll look like a moron. Which is no different than usual, by the way."

"Fine. I'll ask if I can borrow one from Itachi."

"Why don't you just ask me?"

"'Cause... then I'd have your scent all over me." Naruto sort of pouted at him.

"So?"

"It'd be like we were... y'know."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"

"Like... we were datin' or whatever."

"Okay, then don't wear it," he said, but paused just short of the door. "Wait, if you feel that way, then why did you ask about wearing something of Itachi's?"

"Heh, well." Naruto opened the door for them. "Male or female, who _wouldn't_ wanna date your brother?"

Sasuke gave him the evil eye as Naruto went inside the house before him. "Why does everyone always say that?!" 

* * *

The two of them were in the kitchen, drinking a couple of bottled waters when his parents appeared in the doorway, dressed and ready for their date. His father was wearing a nice charcoal-colored suit and silvery tie while his mother wore a lacy black dress that had 3/4-length sleeves and a high waist.

Naruto stopped drinking from his water to gawk. "Oh wow, you look amazing, Mrs. Uchiha."

"You look nice, Mom," Sasuke added.

"And doesn't your father look handsome, as well?" She hugged his arm. "I love when I can convince him to wear a suit."

"You look good, Dad," he said, and Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

"Itachi knows we're leaving," said Fugaku. "We should be back by the time he goes into the city, but, if not, just make sure the fire is out before you two go to bed."

"Of course, father," said Sasuke. "Naruto and I will take care of it."

"Did you see that I laid everything out for you on the counter?" Mikoto asked. "Tell everyone to help themselves to anything we have in the refrigerator. There's still some ramen left."

"Yes, thanks very much," said Sasuke.

His mother came to each one of them, kissing Naruto on the cheek and then him.

"Have a good time," she said, smiling.

As his parents left the kitchen, giggling could be heard on their way out the front door.

Naruto leaned over and rubbed his thumb across Sasuke's cheek. "You got a little somethin' right there."

"So do you." He smirked.

"Ah well," said Naruto. "It's more proof that older women love me."

"You're so full of it. Why don't you go take a shower?"

"Yeah, figures you'd let me have first dibs considerin' the mess you're gonna make in it."

"You know," he said. "If you talk about it that much it makes me less interested in doing it."

"I doubt it." Naruto chuckled. "Is it weird that I'm kinda hungry? I've got the munchies."

"Do you now? Have you been partaking of activities that I would've liked to have been privy to?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow at him. "You? Smoke pot? But you're such a goody two-shoes."

"I am not." He scowled. "Wait until you see who my brother hangs out with. I've already been tainted."

"Tainted, eh? That's... suspicious. It never occurred to me that - "

Sasuke, knowing where Naruto's train of thought was headed, decided to divert his attention. "What exactly is it you're hungry for? I could make you something."

"Oh, really?" Naruto grinned. "Hm. I suddenly had a craving, for, like... Spaghettio's."

"You're joking."

"Maybe I'm pregnant?"

"Well, it's certainly not mine." Sasuke threw his bottle into the recycling bin under the sink.

"Even if it's not, would you still take care of it with me and help me raise it?"

"I'm not sure I have any obligation to do anything like that."

"Stingy." Naruto punched him in the arm. "But my children would be so beautiful. Maybe they'd have my _blue_ eyes."

"It'd be very unfortunate if they had your brains."

"Or your temper," said Naruto.

"My temper? Your temper is just as bad as mine."

"See, you're already gettin' defensive. The baby should definitely have my temperament."

"This is the stupidest conversation we've had yet," Sasuke told him. "If you _really_want Spaghettio's, I can run to the gas station a few blocks away while you're in the shower and get some for you."

Naruto stared at him.

"What?"

The blond boy shook his head. "I wouldn't ask you to do that. I'm fine with anything you already have."

He shrugged. "I don't mind."

Naruto started to give him one of those goofy grins.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.

"M'havin another one of those 'if you were a girl' moments."

"Those moments sound very annoying to me. Do you want Spaghettio's or not?"

"Yes, please." Naruto nodded his head. "If you're sure it's not too much trouble."

Since Naruto was finished with his water, Sasuke took that from him, too, and threw it in the bin.

"What is this...?" Naruto asked. "You're bein' all... considerate."

"It's nothing," he replied. "I threw a bottle away. Not worth writing home about."

Naruto looked at him suspiciously. "You're trying to woo me, aren't you?"

"Do people still say that?" He asked.

Tilting his head to the side, Naruto continued to smile at him in that infectious way he did sometimes.

With a frown, Sasuke reached for the piece of hair hanging in front of his left eye and moved it behind his ear. "That was bothering me," he said.

"You better go soon," said Naruto, "Or I may take you up on that offer of makin' out."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You bein' charming is both eerie and powerful. Like dark magic. Like David Bowie in the Labyrinth."

"I love that movie, so I will take that as a compliment," he said and gave Naruto a push. "Now go shower. By the time you get out, I may be back with your_Spaghettio's_. Even though I really shouldn't be contributing to your poor eating habits."

"Speakin' of, will you get me a small bottle of Coke, too?" He batted his eyelashes at Sasuke.

Surprisingly, it was kind of working. "I will."

"Will you get some alcohol, too?"

"How could I possibly do that?"

Naruto shrugged. "Bring Itachi?"

"If you're that desperate, I'm sure we have something around the house. It's not as if my parents keep the liquor hidden."

"That sort of surprises me to be honest," said Naruto. "Okay, well I'm gonna go get naked and roll around in your shower now."

"Okay..." He didn't want to ask what Naruto meant by "rolling around" but he assumed it was a comment intended to tease and infuriate. It was distracting at the most, but naked Narutos inside his head had become a bit commonplace.

Naruto leaned in closer. Too close, really. They were nearly nose to nose.

"I don't like that look you have," Naruto told him. "You're thinkin' somethin' perverted."

Sasuke put a hand to his chest and, gently, pushed him away. "I was only thinking that there are limits to how often I can think of you wet and naked."

Naruto scowled. "How is that possible? You're tired of me already? You're so fickle, Sasuke!"

"Do you ever listen to yourself?" He asked, and, reaching behind, grabbed his mother's keys off the hook.

"Fine. While you're gone, I'll see if Itachi wants to molest me instead!"

Sasuke raised a brow. "If you truly feel you must."

"Argh!" Naruto came up to him and poked his chest.

"Yes?"

"I dunno! This isn't goin' the way I thought it would, so now I'm just mad."

"I'm sorry," he said. "Am I not teasing you enough? Not paying you enough attention? Now you know how I felt earlier."

"Huh?"

"When you were ignoring me in favor of talking to my mother."

"Oh." Naruto stepped back and glanced somewhere else. "I was mad."

"I could tell."

"Sorry 'bout that."

"So long as you know you were in the wrong. I accept your apology." He smirked broadly.

"Hey, you ass! It was your damn fault for bein' so, _so_ \- "

"I told you you had a limited vocabulary."

Growling, Naruto grabbed hold of the front of his shirt and pulled at it. "I am _not_ as stupid as you think I am."

"I know," he said. "But I like to piss you off. Anger looks good on you." He gave another piece of Naruto's wild fringe a tug.

Naruto let go of his shirt and stared at him like he was trying to work out what he was playing at. He wasn't really playing at anything, though.

"If you're done," he said to Naruto. "I'm going to go get your food."

"Yeah..."

"Okay then." He started to walk past Naruto when the other boy caught hold of his wrist. Sasuke turned to him.

"Thank you." He let go of Sasuke and looked at him sheepishly while scratching the back of his neck. "Drive careful, okay? Your mom would kill me if I let anything happen to you."

"I'll come back safely to you, don't worry." He offered a smile.

Naruto's eyes widened a bit before he broke out into a grin, too. "Bye, Sasuke. I'll touch myself in the shower thinkin' of you."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Playfully, he gave Naruto's cheek a pat and headed to the garage. "If Itachi surfaces from his room, tell him where I went."

He heard Naruto follow after him as he started down the stairs to the basement.

"Don't take too long!" He shouted after Sasuke. "What'll I do if I get lonely?"

"Then talk to yourself, idiot," he replied loudly and made his way through the basement and into the garage.

Really. When did he start being the type of guy who'd run out for one person's moronic cravings? The thought of even buying those damn things made him feel embarrassed. Still. It couldn't be helped. When Naruto smiled like that, it was getting harder to ignore the urge to do nice things for him every once in a while. What else did Sasuke have to do anyway? Otherwise he just would've waited in the bedroom until Naruto came back in with his... towel. Hm. Maybe if he drove fast enough he could get there and back in time to get another peek at Naruto's_attributes_.

Or he could try to think about something else for once.

Unfortunately, as he got into the car and pushed the garage door opener, he couldn't think of a single damn thing that could top the image of a dripping wet Naruto.

xxx

It took less than 20 minutes to drive there and back from the gas station. He didn't check, but he thought Naruto was out of the shower. Sasuke gave him time to get dressed in privacy as he opened the can of, he cringed, Spaghettio's. He didn't think anyone above the age of 8 still ate this garbage. It slopped out into the pot after he'd turned on the burner. He stirred it once or twice before reaching into the cabinet to get a bowl. He'd put Naruto's Coke into the refrigerator.

"What are you making?" Itachi appeared in the doorway, looking as if he'd recently woken from a nap.

"Were you asleep?" He asked.

"I did manage to fall asleep for a while, yes. I didn't get much sleep last night. Perhaps it was the fear of my little brother being violated down the hallway."

Sasuke gave Naruto's early-evening snack another few stirs and turned down the heat when it began to simmer. "Or, maybe the fact you got in late had something to do with it. Are you still going out tonight, too?"

Itachi came up behind him and looked over his shoulder. "Is that... Spaghettio's? Did we have that in our pantry?"

"No," he said. "Naruto was hungry for some, so I went to get a can while he took a shower."

"Pardon me, but did you just say that you went on an errand for Naruto to get him some Spaghettio's?"

"Yes."

Itachi put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm confused. Are the two of you an old married couple?"

"_No_. If I didn't go get it, he would've whined about it all night. The gas station is a whole five minutes away, so it wasn't a big deal."

"Okay," said his brother, removing his hand. "It's only that I'm not used to this side of you."

"What side?" He asked, turning off the burner and moving it to another.

"The side where you clearly care about someone and do things to make them happy." Itachi pushed the bowl closer to him as Sasuke started to pour half of the contents into it.

"I think you're reading too much into it. I needed the fresh air anyway."

"Of course. To answer your earlier question, I will be going into the city again tonight. But mostly because I thought it might be brotherly of me to give you time alone with your new... friend."

Sasuke shook his head. "Could you be more obvious?"

"It's not like I'm trying to be subtle. I wish the both of you would admit your feelings already."

"There's nothing to admit," said Sasuke. "He knows I'm attracted to him, and Naruto, well, he's about as interested in dating another boy as I am. At least not until I get to college."

"That sounds confusing and unfortunate. Is this because of what happened with father today?"

"Not just today," Sasuke answered. "It would be a hassle right now. Not that Naruto even feels that way. It's no big deal, but let's please stop talking about it. When is everyone coming? Mom left all of this food here. Oh, and Naruto wanted alcohol earlier."

"Did he?" Itachi asked and leaned against the counter. "I suppose if we got him drunk, you could definitely take advantage of him."

"I won't let him get drunk. It's not like I haven't had a few drinks with you and your friends."

"True, but I'm not sure that's such a good idea either."

Sasuke turned to him, eyebrow raised. "Why not?"

"Well," said Itachi, "What if one of my friends was to take advantage of you?"

"As if any of them would have the balls to try. Besides, I can take care of myself."

Itachi made a dubious humming noise. "If you say so."

"Oh my God! It smells like Spaghettio's!" Naruto rushed into the kitchen, dressed in the same jeans as earlier, but it looked as though...

"Are you wearing one of my shirts?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah. I told you I was runnin' out of stuff to wear. I figured you wouldn't care. You have about 10 short-sleeved black shirts. I figured you wouldn't miss it if I borrowed one of them." Naruto pulled at it.

"Don't pull at it," Sasuke glared at him. "You'll stretch it."

"I'm not gonna stretch it just by doin' this!" Naruto pulled at it again.

"I'm making you your stupid food, the least you can do is not ruin my clothes."

"Feh." Naruto sauntered up beside him. "Yo, Itachi. Where've you been?"

"Sleeping," Itachi answered. "I'm not as young as you so if I want to stay up late tonight I needed my beauty rest."

Naruto chuckled. "Why would a guy already as good lookin' as you need beauty rest?" He stole the spoon out of Sasuke's hand and rather than eating out of the bowl Sasuke made for him, he scooped it right out of the pot.

"Why do I bother?" Sasuke asked.

"It always tastes good right out of the pot!" But, he did slide over to the corner and grabbed his bowl. "Did you get me Coke?"

"I did." Sasuke scowled. "It's in the refrigerator."

"I'll get it for you," said Itachi, walking over to retrieve it from the fridge. He brought it to the blond, and, sending Sasuke a smirk, asked, "Naruto, that looks good. Would you mind if I had a bite?"

"Oh sure," said Naruto and he handed Itachi a spoon filled with the tiny, tomato-soaked o's. His brother appeared to eat it with relish.

"Reminds me of when Sasuke and I were younger," said his brother.

Sasuke glared at him. He knew what Itachi was trying to do.

"Sasuke," said Naruto. "Do you want a bite?" He held a spoon full of Spaghettio's out to him.

"I really don't..." He stared at the spoon and then up at Naruto.

Itachi gave him a push toward the other boy.

"Fine," he grumbled, reluctantly opened his mouth, and let Naruto feed it to him.

Naruto grinned. "See, doesn't it taste great?"

He chewed slowly and swallowed. "Tastes like rubber soaked in tomato soup."

"But Sasuke," said Itachi. "You do love tomatoes."

"Not when they're processed to death," he remarked.

"Fine, more for me," said Naruto. "So, Itachi. When are your friends comin'? Should we start the fire soon?"

"I still want to shower," said Sasuke. "But if you and Itachi want to take care of it, I'll meet you out there."

"I can wait," said Naruto. "Don't forget to put on somethin' warm. Oh, and we'll bring a blanket out if you have one."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You don't have to look out for me, Naruto. I'm not really sick."

Naruto shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Plus, I gave my word to your mom. But, you gotta bring blankets out. That's part of the fun. Hey, Itachi. Do you have a sweatshirt I can borrow?"

"I told you that you can borrow one of mine," Sasuke told him.

"I'm sure I do have one you can borrow, Naruto. But wouldn't one of Sasuke's fit you much better? Although, I feel flattered that you want to wear my belongings."

"You're both weird," Naruto commented and slurped up more of his soup or whatever that crap could be categorized as. He opened his bottle of Coke, took a large gulp and let out a sigh of pleasure. "That's good stuff."

"It's the small things in life, isn't it?" Itachi asked.

"Yeah." Naruto wiped his hand across his mouth. "I love Coke. I dunno what I'd do without it."

"Probably drop about ten pounds," said Sasuke. He leaned over and poked Naruto in the stomach.

"Tch. You weren't complainin' earlier," said Naruto, and, realizing what he'd done, glanced over at Itachi in a panic, turned bright red, and then stammered out some unintelligible explanation.

Sasuke sighed. "It's not like my brother isn't aware, Naruto. He has a very perverted imagination. Why else do you think he hangs out with Kakashi?"

"Er. What exactly does he know?" Naruto asked.

Itachi shrugged. "I only know what Sasuke tells me, and I assure you it isn't much."

Naruto looked as though he didn't believe him. "Nothin's happened," he mumbled.

"That's good," said Itachi, "Because I would be very sad and upset if something happened to my brother. Such as you taking his virginity."

Naruto immediately started coughing on his Spaghettio's and pounding at his chest.

Sasuke handed him his Coke. "Don't let him get to you. It only eggs him on when you respond like that."

"Sheesh. Warn a guy before you're gonna say stuff like that," Naruto said and set his Coke aside. "But I can assure you that that's not gonna be a problem. I have no intention of takin' Sasuke's _virginity_."

"Why?" asked Itachi. "Is my brother not good enough for you?"

Sasuke punched his brother in the arm. "Would you give it a rest?"

"Huh? Your brother's way too good for me," said Naruto. "I wouldn't try to pop his cherry anyway."

"What if you let him pop yours?" Itachi questioned with a smirk.

"Well, he'd need a time machine," Naruto replied.

"I see. I remember boys your age always saying they had experience premature to the actual experience. I understand."

"Are you two seriously having this conversation?" Sasuke asked them only to be ignored.

"I've had sex," Naruto argued, shoving his empty bowl toward the sink. "Maybe not as much as you, but I've had sex, and for your information, I think I'm pretty good at it."

"Really?" said Itachi. "Where's your proof?"

"Do I need to call witnesses?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto, would you shut up already," Sasuke said and went to stand between him and his brother. "You," he told Itachi, "Stop provoking him. It's far too easy and you know it. And you," he turned to Naruto, "Stop letting him provoke you. No one cares if you've had sex or not or how good you are - "

"I wouldn't mind knowing more about his successful techniques," Itachi mused. "Wouldn't you, Sasuke? Maybe you could learn something from him."

Sasuke sighed. He no longer wanted to contribute to this conversation, so he picked up Naruto's bowl, rinsed it off, and put it in the dishwasher.

"Hey, I was gonna eat more of that," Naruto complained.

"Then you can eat it out of the pot," said Sasuke. "I'm going to take my shower, so I'll leave you two to discuss Naruto's all-important sex life."

As he was leaving, he heard Itachi say playfully to Naruto, "What do you think his problem is?"

Naruto answered him: "He's probably just jealous of our awesome sex lives."

Sasuke ignored them. Somehow he felt Naruto being in Itachi's presence sucked the intelligence out of both of their brains. It was irritating, and the last thing he wanted to talk about with Naruto was sex. He entered the bedroom and went through his clothes to find something to wear. He also pulled out a couple of sweatshirts from the closet for himself and for Naruto. He was going to let him borrow one of his favorites - a navy hoodie that his brother had bought him at college. Sasuke chose a black Adidas hoodie to wear over a dark gray long-sleeved shirt. He left the clothes in a pile on the edge of his bed and wandered into the bathroom. He thought he could hear Naruto's raised voice from the kitchen but thought it was best not to know.

Sasuke had thought so before when Naruto came into the kitchen, but smelling his cologne in the bathroom had him wondering if Naruto had borrowed some? Curious.

He made his shower quick, only wanting to get the smell of sweat and dirt off his body. He brushed his teeth again and put a little more time into styling his hair. Not that he was interested in impressing Itachi's friends or anything. He fussed with the back for a while, using a mixture of gel and wax to get it to stick up the right way and put his bangs into place. As he left the bathroom, he was only wearing a towel, and when he walked into the bedroom, Naruto was sitting at the desk chair, apparently texting someone.

Naruto looked up when he heard him come in. "That was fast."

"I figured you'd still be having that meaningful conversation with my brother."

"Eh. It's all just fun. I know he likes to rile the both of us. Oh, hey. Your hair looks good, by the way."

Sasuke picked up his pile of clothes. "Thanks." He started to walk out of the room again so that he could change in the bathroom.

"You can change in here, y'know," Naruto told him. "I'll turn the chair around if it's that big of a deal. It's not like we haven't seen each other in the locker room."

"Not naked," he said.

"We've got the same equipment, but it's not like m'gonna stare at your penis. I'm not Sai." Naruto turned the chair around so that he was facing away from him.

"I think Sai would be more interested in staring at _your_ penis," said Sasuke.

"Ha, I'll have to tell him y'said that. I'm texting him now."

Though Sasuke had his back to Naruto, he frowned. "What's he up to tonight?" He let his towel fall to the floor and picked up the black pair of boxer-briefs he'd taken from the drawer.

"He says he's at some coffee house in the city. An open mic night or somethin'."

"Really?" He asked, a little more interested now. "Where at?"

"I dunno. He didn't say, and now he's headed off to some dance club with a guy."

"What guy?" Sasuke tugged the shirt over his head.

Naruto spun the chair around. "Nice underwear. You always have such nice underwear."

"I didn't realize you were always looking."

"Well, it's 'cause you always dress nicely. Even out of your uniform, you always look good."

Sasuke, of course, raised an eyebrow. "Are you hitting on me right now?"

"If complimentin' you on how you look is hittin' on you, then I guess?"

"It's hard to tell sometimes," he replied and sat down on the bed to pull his jeans on. "Anyway, I'm not sure how sexy I look in an Adidas sweatshirt. There's yours, by the way." After he'd put his own on, he tossed the other hoodie to Naruto. "Don't get anything on it. It's one of my favorites."

"If it's one of your favorites, why would you give it to me?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I trust you not to destroy it."

"Ah, but now you've messed up your hair." Naruto, placing his phone on the desk, got up and came toward him. He stood right in front of Sasuke and, as if it was perfectly normal, began playing with his hair.

It felt good, so he didn't comment about it and allowed Naruto to preen him.

"Are you... wearing my cologne?" Sasuke asked in a low voice.

"Yeah, I borrowed some. I hope that's okay. I didn't bring any with me."

Sasuke nodded. "It smells good on you."

Naruto chuckled. "I think it smells the same on me as it does on you."

Sasuke wanted to beg to differ. Smelling it on Naruto was a bit... let's just say it felt as though his territory had been marked. While Naruto continued to run fingers through his hair, he shut his eyes and sighed in pleasure.

"Does it feel good?" Naruto asked. "It felt good when you did it to me last night."

"Say that again," he said.

"What? Oh." He laughed. "Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"It felt good when you did it to me last night," Naruto said, lowering his voice and sounding purposely sexy as hell.

"Define 'it'," he murmured.

"I never woulda thought you'd be into dirty talk."

"I think I could be if it's you."

When Naruto's fingers stopped, Sasuke opened his eyes again to regard him. Naruto looked pensive. His lips were parted, and his eyes were set on Sasuke's... mouth? Then Naruto looked up more and met his gaze.

"What was that about?" Sasuke asked.

"Gimme your hand," Naruto told him. "Don't ask questions either."

It went against his nature to not ask questions, but he did, after a brief hesitation, offer Naruto his right hand. Stepping even closer to him, Naruto placed it on his left hip and then covered it with his own hand.

"Now give me your other."

"What are you doing?"

"Rewarding your honesty," said Naruto. "Give me your hand."

Looking at him curiously, Sasuke gave him the hand, which he placed on his other hip.

"Are we doing the hokey pokey?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto snorted. "I'm tryin' to be semi-serious here. Besides, I don't think they call it the hokey pokey anymore."

"Oh? What do they call it?" Sasuke pulled Naruto closer to him so that he stood in between his legs.

"Horizontal mambo?" Naruto smirked as he lifted his hands off of Sasuke's and went back to fussing with his hair. He made small noises of complaint or satisfaction as he adjusted the spikes and tugged gently at his bangs to set them however he felt looked best.

Biting his lip, Sasuke let his thumb rub over Naruto's jeans. "So this is my reward?"

"Mm. Sure."

Since Naruto seemed so distracted, he let his hand wander up to the boy's waist, under his t-shirt, so that he could touch skin. When Naruto still didn't react, he moved his right hand more toward the middle and set it flat against Naruto's stomach.

Finally, Naruto's gaze lowered, and he looked at him.

"Do you feel anything when I do this to you?" Sasuke asked.

"What do you think?"

"Give me an honest answer," he said and let his hand travel up even further, lifting the t-shirt with it.

"Yeah," he said. "You know I feel somethin'."

"You're teasing me." Sasuke leaned in, head lowered so that he could breathe against Naruto's skin. "We agreed nothing was going to happen."

"Nothing's happening, Sasuke. We're both fully clothed."

Sasuke pressed his lips to Naruto's stomach and glanced up. "That can always be changed."

It appeared as though Naruto's lids lowered a little. He shifted in between Sasuke's legs and put his hands on both of Sasuke's shoulders.

"Are you curious?" Sasuke asked him.

"About what?"

"About being with a guy."

This time, as Sasuke leaned in again, he dragged his lips from the center of Naruto's stomach to below his chest. His right hand traveled upward, too, fingers spread apart. They were just barely under Naruto's nipple, which remained covered by his shirt.

"It's not that I'm curious about that," Naruto said, while taking in a sharp breath when Sasuke's middle finger brushed over his nipple.

"No?" He grabbed one of Naruto's belt loops with his left hand and tugged him closer. As he let his right hand fall lower again, he kissed him above his belly-button. It wasn't a quick kiss, nor was it chaste. He opened his mouth when he pressed his lips against Naruto, embarking on an upward trail until he felt Naruto's fingers squeezing at his shoulders.

"If I'm curious about anything," Naruto said, "It's just about you."

Sasuke gave his stomach one last wet kiss before tugging his shirt down for him. He let his hands settle on Naruto's hips again, only briefly, and then placed them in his lap so that Naruto was free to move away if he wanted.

He didn't move, though, and still held onto Sasuke's shoulders.

"You're... really kinda sexy when you want to be," Naruto told him.

"I'm happy you think so." He smirked. "You look like you're in a daze."

Naruto bit his lip before replying, "That's 'cause I might be a little turned on at the moment."

Sasuke sucked in a breath. "Naruto..."

He was about to put his hand on Naruto's waist and do _something_ \- when there was a knock at the door, breaking the spell.

"If you two are ready, I think we should get the fire started. Everyone's on their way," said Itachi.

Naruto stepped away a couple of feet and scratched the back of his head.

Sasuke regarded him as coolly as he could possibly manage. "We should probably go outside then..."

"Yeah."

Sasuke got to his feet. "Don't forget to put on the sweatshirt."

"Mm. I will. You go on ahead then, and I'll meet you out there."

"Naruto," he said. "We're good, right?"

Naruto nodded, but there was something off about the way he looked. "We're good. I'll be right out. Ah, and don't forget a blanket."

"I'll get one from the linen closet."

His eyes lingered on Naruto a little longer; Naruto smiled at him, but it was odd. Sasuke had the urge to embrace him at the very least, or maybe he should say something that could take the tension away, but his own head was swimming a bit. Maybe a little distance would be good because each time they were left alone, things between them seemed to intensify.

So, turning his back on Naruto, he left the room to find Itachi, and, hopefully, Naruto would join them as soon as he was ready.


	11. Chapter 11

It was already dark as Sasuke watched Itachi pour coals around the branches in the pit. His brother was about to use the lighter to ignite some of the surrounding dry brush and leaves when he noticed Naruto walking their way, carrying the large tray his mother had set out for them.

"I'll be right back," he muttered to Itachi.

Wiping his hands across his jeans, Sasuke met him halfway and was oddly pleased to see Naruto wearing his sweatshirt. Plus, it looked good on him, just like the first day they'd met and he'd come into class wearing street clothes.

"Let me take that," he offered.

Naruto smiled, and, much to his relief, it appeared genuine. "I got it. Don't worry. I haven't been doin' my usual exercise stuff, so it's a good workout, right?"

"Well, we did run a fair amount today," Sasuke said, walking beside him.

"True. But I usually do push-ups and sit-ups and crunches and all kinds of crap. When we start practices, it's gonna be even worse."

"I see. Sorry to have messed up your workout routine."

Naruto laughed. "It's okay. It's nice to relax sometimes, right?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure this weekend's been what you'd consider 'relaxing'?"

"Hm. Compared to what it's been like in the apartment with dad lately, I'd say yeah."

As they approached the firepit, Naruto set the tray on the edge of the bench.

"Aw, you started it without me," he complained. "That's my favorite part."

"It's not like it's going very strong," said Itachi. "If you really want, I'll let you spray it with lighter fluid."

"Really?!" Naruto stepped over to his brother excitedly.

Itachi put a hand on his head and ruffled his hair. "You're quite the pyromaniac, aren't you? Sasuke likes that part, too."

"I do not," he argued. "Don't just say whatever you feel like."

"Are you kidding? When you were little, you were all about being the one to get the fire started."

Naruto chuckled. "Is that true?" He asked Sasuke. "That's kind of adorable. Now all I can see is a little Sasuke runnin' around the neighborhood startin' fires."

Sasuke groaned. "You two are annoying."

"I bet he liked sparklers on the Fourth of July," Naruto commented.

"Indeed he did," said Itachi, smirking.

"Is that some kind of remark about my sexuality?" Sasuke asked. "Besides, it's not even legal to

do a whole lot more than that anymore."

"True. It's hard to blow your hand off when you're just usin' sparklers," Naruto replied.

Itachi's phone going off interrupted their very captivating conversation. Sasuke and Naruto remained quiet - staring at the budding fire - while Itachi spoke with someone, who from the few bits Sasuke heard, had to be Deidara. Itachi's tone always sounded especially patronizing when he spoke with his blond friend. After a minute, Itachi slid his phone into his pocket.

"They're here. Sounds like they brought a cooler," said his brother.

"Do they need help?" Naruto asked.

"You don't have to worry about it," replied Itachi. "There's enough of them that they can carry it, but I'll go up and meet them. You two stay here." He started to walk away and then stopped.

"Sasuke, do you want me to bring your guitar when I come back?"

"Sure," he said. "If you want. Thanks."

Itachi gave a wave and started toward the house, leaving the two of them alone. For a while, they watched the fire as it continued to grow.

"Want me to get the lighter fluid?" Sasuke asked.

Looking up from the fire, Naruto grinned. "Should we?"

"I think we should. There's some in the shed."

Naruto laughed and followed him over as he unlocked the door.

"I like this side of you, Sasuke, you little vigilante."

"I'm not sure that's the appropriate term," Sasuke remarked distractedly as he searched around in the dark for the container. He found it on one of the bottom shelves, having to push Naruto out through the doorway again to get outside.

Standing a safe distance from the pit, he handed the plastic bottle to Naruto. "Go for it."

"Awesome." Without hesitating, Naruto squeezed out some of the lighter fluid and the pile of branches, twigs, and leaves ignited in a small explosion of flames. He stepped back a few feet.

"Do I still have my eyebrows?"

Sasuke did actually look. "You only had one to begin with, right?"

"Very funny, asshole," said Naruto, but he was grinning.

Sasuke found himself staring. "Naruto...?"

"Hm?"

He was going to say something else about how good he looked in that sweatshirt, but it sounded like such a lame come on inside his head. Instead, he remarked: "Just to warn you, my brother's friends are a little...in your face sometimes."

"I don't mind. I'm lookin' forward to meetin' them."

Sasuke nodded. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"I'll be alright, Sasuke." Naruto leaned into his side, giving him a light nudge. The contact was a bit reassuring for him because he'd been afraid Naruto might keep his distance tonight. Still, he felt like he wanted to tread with care if at all possible.

"So, how does your sweatshirt look on me?" Naruto asked quietly.

Mind reader! Sasuke breathed in first before replying, "Good. Hoodies suit you, I think."

Naruto laughed at him. "Is that a good thing? I dunno."

"It's a compliment," he said. "Of that you can be assured. You're as bad with those as I am."

"Ah, true." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Plus, it's you, so I don't always know when you're kiddin'."

"Naruto," he said in a more serious tone, waiting until he had his full attention. "Of course I think you look good. It brings out your boyish charm, and I suppose it makes you look... ruggedly handsome. In your own way."

"You had me up until the last part." Naruto smiled very broadly, so Sasuke smiled, too.

"I can't help myself," he admitted. "I wouldn't want your ego to get so big that you'd stop reacting the way you do when I say something nice and mean it."

Naruto picked up one of the metal prongs. He used it to poke at some of the logs, freeing a few sparks from underneath the burn pile. "I doubt that will ever be a problem."

"No? You don't think so?" Sasuke studied him a while. There was a bit of a chill in the air already, so he stuck his hands in the front pocket of his sweatshirt.

"Eh. I think it's a good thing I'm sometimes suspicious of your compliments, 'cause a compliment that comes from you... one that you really mean... it makes me feel weird."

"Weird?"

Naruto glanced over his shoulder. "Y'know. It's a big deal for you to compliment someone, I think, so it either makes me real giddy or confuses the hell out of me 'cause I'm stuck tryin' to figure out whether you're patronizin' me. Part of me thinks that you wouldn't say stuff like that if y'didn't mean it, and yet... Well, it's you."

"I'm not sure what that means." Both of his eyebrows were lifted in question. "Explain?"

Naruto sighed heavily and went back to poking at the fire. "Because you're so good at everything that to be complimented by you is a compliment in itself."

Quietly, he absorbed Naruto's comment, and, having nothing to say in response, he remained silent. Finally, Naruto managed to pull himself away from the fire, but it was just in time to hear a girlish squeal coming from close to the house.

"Saaaaaaaaaasuke Uuuuuuchihaaaaa. Come give your Aunty Deidara a huge hug and a kiiiissss!"

Sasuke cringed. Naruto seemed to be staring in that direction with a mixture of confusion, horror, and amusement.

"Wh-what is that?" He asked Sasuke.

"That would be my brother's friend Deidara. He... She... Well, you'll see."

They could see the group coming toward them, and Sasuke heard a few more familiar voices calling to him. Naruto came up to his side, standing close enough that their arms touched.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Sasuke asked.

"If you can handle them, then so can I."

Naruto's gaze was set on the approaching men, who were really just a moving blob across the grass at this point. The sun had completely set, and it wasn't until they reached within a few yards of the fire that they could be seen clearly. Hidan and Jirōbō were carrying a cooler between them; Kimimaro was talking with Itachi, who had Sasuke's guitar strapped to his back; and then...

In a blur of blond, black leather, glittery false eyelashes, and hot pink stilettos, Sasuke was suddenly the victim of a frontal assault. With a squeal, Deidara wrapped his arms around him and even picked him up about a foot in the air while spinning him around. Sasuke let out a growl.

"I swear to God. Deidara, if you do not put me down now, I will rip out every one of your extensions."

"Oh, Sasuke. You say the sweetest things!" The blond cross-dresser put Sasuke back down only to pinch his cheek. "You are getting so big! I can't hardly pick you up anymore. I wonder where all that weight is exactly because you are still such a tiny thing in the waist. So jealous!" He pushed his heavily made-up face into Sasuke's until they nearly touched noses. "Or perhaps you've grown in... inches? I was wondering what that is I felt against my stomach! Speaking of, look at this!" Deidara pulled up the bottom of his black mesh top to show off a pierced bellybutton. "Yahiko did it for me before he left with Konan! Isn't it just... SO SPARKLY!"

With a sneer, Sasuke placed his hand on Deidara's face and pushed him away. "Get off already. And stop flashing that, no one wants to see it! Aren't you too old to be getting piercings? Especially ones that high school cheerleaders get to show off how skanky they are?"

"Are you saying that the only girl allowed to be skanky is one in high school? I assure you that I get carded at every bar I go to, little Sasuke, and that's all thanks to my wonderful nighttime regime, which," he made a flippant gesture with his hand and then tugged flirtatiously at a tress of his curled hair, "I should speak with you about. Night creams should be a part of every growing gay boy's bag of tricks."

"Tch. Lay off of him already," said Hidan. He walked over after setting the cooler on the ground and slung an arm around Sasuke's shoulders. "The kid's not even legal yet, and you're tellin' him to worry about moisturizing?"

Deidara tsk'd at him. "I don't think you're ever too young to start moisturizing. I would've started in the womb if I could have, but I'm sure all those stem cells were the best facial I'll ever get."

"And you'd know all about gettin' facials, wouldn't you?" Hidan asked, laughing loudly, and yanking Sasuke against him (hard). "Hey, who's this blond kid?"

Apparently, Naruto had gone into hiding behind him.

"Oh. Another blond! Yay. I'm so excited! Itachi mentioned you were having a little sleepover. That's so cute." Deidara grabbed Naruto's wrist and dragged him to the front. "Look at you. I don't suppose you'll spin for us? Yes, oh. I like what I'm seeing."

"Um. Hi?" Naruto said, and Sasuke wanted to laugh at him because he looked positively petrified.

Deidara tugged at Naruto's hair and then fussed with his eyebrows. "It looks natural to me, but we all know there's only one way to find out. Am I right, Itachi?"

"You know how often Sasuke has friends over, so why are you traumatizing him from the beginning?"

"Friend," Deidara rolled the 'r' for some reason. "Sasuke, you have a friend, do you?" The blond man giggled. "It's about time. I wondered about you because you're always so frigid and cynical and sarcastic, but... oh yes, you've done quite well for yourself."

"It's not like that," Sasuke muttered. "Naruto's a friend of mine from school. He recently moved here."

"Mm. I see. Well. We can hear all about it later, can't we? Naruto," Deidara grabbed the younger boy's hand. "Enchanté, my dear. My name is Deidara." He kissed the back of Naruto's hand and before letting go of it, gave a quick nip to the tip of the boy's middle finger before skipping off to harass Jirōbō and Kimimaro, who'd taken seats on the bench by the fire.

"S'moooooores. Oh my God, I love these!" Deidara screeched.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Itachi were left standing there. Hidan was lighting up a cigarette over by the shed.

"I believe this is yours," Itachi said, handing Sasuke his guitar. "Make sure you let Naruto properly recover for a while. He looks like he may need therapy after this."

Sasuke glared. "Can't you keep that thing on a leash?"

"Sadly, if I thought he wouldn't get off on it, I might consider it." He gave Sasuke's shoulder a consoling pat and left to join his friends by the fire.

Sasuke adjusted the guitar strap as he slung it over his shoulder. "Naruto?"

The other teen seemed to be staring off. "...Huh?"

"Are you... okay?" He placed a hand on the middle of his back.

"I think... I was just violated? But I'm not sure. I feel like I could use another shower. Y'know. 'Cause... yeah. I feel dirty."

"Don't be such a drama queen," Sasuke told him. "Besides. I warned you."

"Yeah, but..." Naruto gazed at him, bottom lip quivering. "Sasuke," he whined pathetically.

Sasuke made a desperate attempt at not laughing. He bit his lip as he asked, "Do you need a hug?"

Naruto nodded, so Sasuke dragged him in and let the other boy cling to him for a while before gently pushing him away.

"You'll be alright. Just stick by me, and I won't let the bad man touch you in your no-no places."

"Promise?" Naruto stepped aside and scratched the back of his neck, giving an anxious glance toward the fire.

Sasuke reached for one of the strings on his sweatshirt and gave it a tug. "I promise." He tilted his head. "Maybe I made a mistake in telling him we're just friends. Perhaps, if I'd staked my claim then I could've prevented this from happening."

"Hmph. Doesn't he know I'm only 16? What kind of pervert goes for a kid that's five years younger than him?"

Sasuke coughed and looked elsewhere. "How do you feel about a hot dog? Are you hungry? Or would you like to make the first s'more?"

"I could eat a s'more, yeah!"

"Why don't you sit down, and I'll roast your marshmallows for you?"

"Yeah, I bet you'd like to roast my marshmallows," Naruto replied, smirking at him.

"You're ridiculous. Fine, roast your own then."

"I will. 'Cause that's my favorite part. I know you don't like sweet things or whatever, but do y'want me to make one for you?"

Sasuke made a face, but since Naruto looked so excited, he decided to give a little on his strict no-sweets diet.

"Fine."

"Yay!" Naruto grabbed for Sasuke's wrist and towed him to the fire like a child with a shiny red balloon.

Deidara had moved on to bothering Hidan and Itachi about something regarding one of their other friends who wasn't here tonight. Luckily, Kimimaro and Jirōbō were both normal people, so when Naruto went over by the bench to get his stuff ready for the s'mores, they were capable of non-scarring conversation topics. Jirōbō had also brought a guitar, so Naruto was asking him questions about that. Sasuke stood by and listened, only interjecting once in a while. Kimimaro was a pretty quiet guy, but Sasuke had always thought him to be extremely intelligent (and good looking). Jirōbō was the guy who, if Sasuke wanted to get into clubs or music venues, somehow got him access and, on occasion, allowed him to get served. As Naruto started going on about hearing Sasuke play the guitar earlier today, Sasuke wandered off toward his brother since he was hardly adding anything to the conversation thanks to Naruto's loquacious ways.

Hidan and Deidara were both smoking. Itachi was merely leaning against the shed beside them. He had a beer in hand.

"Sasuke," Deidara whispered, "We brought some alcohol, so you feel free to take some if you want. I think if you get your friend drunk, you might have a chance."

"I'll keep that under advisement," he replied. "Since when do you smoke?"

"I'm a social smoker," replied Deidara, puffing out some smoke that wafted into his face. "So, since I'm always social, I suppose that means I smoke all the time now? I blame it on Yahiko. He smokes like a chimney, though Konan is always trying to get him to stop. Not that she should talk, because she does it, too, though I think she's trying to quit."

"Good to know," he mumbled. Yahiko wasn't really a topic he wanted to talk about.

"How is Yahiko anyway?" Hidan asked. "I haven't heard from that bastard in more than a month. Not even a fuckin' text."

"You know him. I think he broke his phone again."

"Again?" Hidan grunted. "That's his third or fourth one in a year. Blasphemous, I tell you. That guy doesn't appreciate what he's got, I swear."

"You shouldn't speak like that about a guy who's not here to defend himself," Sasuke replied, unable to help it.

"You're being awfully defensive of him, Sasuke," Itachi remarked.

"You feel the same. You wouldn't say something about someone that you wouldn't also say to their face."

Hidan narrowed his eyes. "You punk, are you tryin' to lecture me about morals?"

"Why would I lecture you about that if you don't even have any?" Sasuke returned, and as Hidan went to grab for his collar, Itachi blocked him.

"Cut it out," he said. "The both of you. Can't we simply enjoy this night before I have to fly to California on Monday?"

Hidan muttered and went back to leaning against the shed. In the meantime, Sasuke hadn't realized Deidara disappeared. He spotted the blond over by the fire, harassing Naruto again, but this time it appeared as though the both of them were laughing. Naruto was trying to show Deidara how far to stick in the prongs for roasting purposes. Deidara, instead of marshmallows, was roasting hot dogs, so Sasuke could only imagine the witty repartee going on between them.

"Are you worried?" Itachi asked him, noticing where he was looking.

"No," he replied. "Naruto can handle most people."

"True, if he can handle our father, then I'm unable to imagine a person on this planet he couldn't handle."

"He seems like a nice kid," added Hidan. "I like 'em. Would it be rude if I asked if he's straight or not?"

"He's straight," Sasuke answered curtly. "We're friends."

"Right," said Hidan, blowing smoke his way. "Friends."

Sasuke glared, but it wasn't worth his time to get into an argument over it.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto yelled over at him. "Your s'more is ready!"

"And I have a wiener if you want to eat it!" cried Deidara, waving the hot dog still stuck on the prong at him. Then he waved it at Naruto, who laughed like an idiot, and when Deidara continued to prod him with it, Naruto bit off the end of the beef frank, which led to Deidara letting out an exaggerated yelp.

There was a lot he could say about Deidara, but in that moment, Sasuke almost admired how easy it was for the older man to be himself, and, yes, he supposed he even meant his tendency for being flamboyant. Sasuke did not consider himself effeminate in any way, and he knew he liked men who were, well, masculine, but... it would be nice to feel like he could more freely embrace that part of himself. He wasn't ashamed of being gay, but he also was in no position to be out and proud either. But... he looked forward to a time when he could. Whether that might happen soon, he doubted, but by the time he went to college, he hoped that it would become a bigger part of his lifestyle.

Luckily, through Itachi's friends, he'd met confident gay men that he did truly admire, so he did have role models. He started walking toward the fire, and only halfway there did he notice himself smiling while watching Naruto get yanked into Deidara's lap as he took a seat on one of the folding chairs. Had it been anyone else on the planet, Sasuke might've been the slightest bit jealous, but... it was a cute scene. Deidara had a good heart under all that... gay.

Sasuke made his way to them. "Having fun?"

"Naruto was just offering to give me a lapdance," said Deidara. "Do you mind?"

Naruto squirmed and tried to get away, but Deidara held fast to him around the waist.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, help me!" Naruto reached out for him, but Sasuke merely raised a brow.

"When you're done with him," said Sasuke, "Send him my way."

He walked past both of them, smirking when he heard Naruto call him a traitor.

"Oi, you bastard! I hope you choke on that s'more I made you!"

Sasuke saw the plate and picked it up. Without looking back, he went to sit between Kimimaro and Jirōbō, relishing the gooey snack Naruto had made him - or was that just the joy he was receiving from watching Naruto be endlessly tortured?

* * *

After maybe an hour, everyone was sitting around the fire, having partaken of s'mores and hot dogs. He didn't realize one person could shove so many marshmallows into his face, but if there was ever a contest for it, Naruto could be the next Kobayashi. Itachi's friends were drinking, of course, and since both he and Naruto got caught up in conversations with different people it wasn't exactly easy to keep an eye on everything his blond friend might have been up to. Once or twice, he could've sworn Deidara was pouring something into Naruto's cup (of Coke). Plus, Naruto seemed to be laughing a lot more frequently. It's not as if Sasuke was his baby-sitter or anything. Naruto could make his own choices.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was sitting between Jirōbō and Hidan. Jirōbō had brought his bass so that he could show Sasuke a few things. He'd only tried it a handful of times and liked it but wasn't exceptional at it. Hidan was quietly humming while he strummed his acoustic. He'd heard him sing before, and he had a really good voice. Too bad when talking he tended to sound like a jackass at times, but Sasuke really shouldn't complain considering the older man always seemed happy to offer advice when it came to music.

"So, Naruto seems like a good kid," said Jirōbō as he handed the bass to Sasuke to play around with. "He's funny."

"I suppose," Sasuke replied.

"He and Deidara are like two peas in a pod."

Sasuke pulled a face. "I wouldn't go that far."

"Do you think it's 'cause they're both blonds?" Hidan asked, smirking.

"Who knows," said Sasuke. "Naruto's probably just being nice. He's like that."

"Ah, so opposites attract?" asked Jirōbō.

"It's odd to see you hangin' around a normal kid, I s'pose," commented Hidan. "I mean, if a kid like that doesn't mind bein' in your company... you can't be all that bad, right?"

"If you two are so in love with him, why don't you go confess already," Sasuke remarked snidely while going over some of the chord positions. He didn't know why his fingering felt so clumsy compared to the others he practiced on.

"Well, for one," said Hidan. "I'm not fuckin' gay."

"And he's a bit too young for me," said Jirōbō.

"Tch. You guys are gettin' borin' talkin' about all this emotional shit." Hidan set his guitar to the side, stood up, and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He wandered over to the shed. Sasuke, idly, watched him until he felt someone touch his shoulder. He looked behind him.

"Yo," said Naruto, holding up a hand. He had a red plastic cup in the other. "Mind if I sit here?"

Sasuke eyed him warily.

"What?" Naruto asked. "Why are you lookin' at me like that?"

"Have you been drinking?" Sasuke questioned as Naruto sat beside him, mindful of Hidan's guitar.

"I mean, I do have a cup in my hand," replied Naruto.

"You know what I mean."

Naruto shrugged. "I don't kiss and tell."

"Who exactly did you have to kiss to get whatever's in that cup?" He asked. Jirōbō chuckled beside him, so Sasuke glared his way.

"You make me sound like a whore," Naruto replied. "Here, do you want some?" He lifted the cup toward him.

Sasuke gave the bass back to Jirōbō and took the cup from Naruto. He sniffed it. "Rum?"

"Only a little." Naruto smiled.

Sasuke took a sip of it. It tasted as though there was more than 'a little'.

"This is nice," breathed Naruto as he reclined backward. "I wish we could do this every weekend."

"Maybe you and your dad should've found a place outside of the city."

"Maybe."

"You're being suspiciously agreeable."

"Nah. You have a point. But, yeah, that would make our commutes too long, though maybe I could've hitched a ride with you if you'd let your parents buy you a car."

"My parents should buy me a car just to be able to take you to school each day?" Sasuke asked.

"You wouldn't want to?" Naruto, while looking at him, tilted his head and then gave one of those easy-going smiles that made Sasuke forget what the hell they were talking about.

"Um."

Jirōbō chuckled again. "I think I'll go grab another beer," he said. "You sure you don't want somethin', Sasuke?"

"I'm fine," he said.

"Yeah, he's the designated driver," Naruto added. "Minus the drivin' part." As Jirōbō walked away, Naruto leaned into him. "Now we're alone. Whatever shall we do?"

"I am definitely cutting you off." Sasuke downed the rest of the drink just so Naruto couldn't have it.

"Ah!" Naruto cried. "M'drink!"

"I'm sure Deidara will continue to try and get you drunk. Take it easy."

"Fine. You act like I've never had alcohol before."

"Me?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You act like you've never had alcohol before."

"Asshole. Why do y'say that? I'm havin' a good time. I like people and bein' social. I'm gettin' the impression you like neither of those things, which is odd, 'cause your brother's pretty good at it. We just had this whole long conversation about what he wants to do after college. Your brother's a really interestin' guy, and so... what's the word... motivated? No, wait. Uh." He squinted an eye shut as he thought. "Ambitious."

"Itachi's always been incredibly ambitious. I'm so glad the two of you are bonding."

Naruto nudged him again. "Jealous?"

"Not really, no. I understand my limits when it comes to my brother." He glanced down at his lap, staring at the calluses on his fingertips.

"Limits? What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," he replied and spared a glance at Itachi, who was having a quiet conversation with Kimimaro as Deidara placidly and quietly (how?) sat on Itachi's other side.

"I don't."

"Well, listen to how you talked about my brother. You admire him, right? You keep telling me he's a great guy. You even said anyone regardless of gender would want to date him. Because he's everything I'll never be, I'm sure. He's charming and good with people, and when he listens to you, you know he's being sincere."

Naruto frowned. "Don't be like that, Sasuke. I hate when you do that."

Sasuke grunted. "Do what?"

"Get down on yourself. Itachi's cool as hell, yeah, but... I've told you plenty of times what I think of you. There's no point in comparin' yourself to him because you're both different people. I happen to like you a lot." Naruto leaned into him again.

"You like everybody," he muttered.

"Not everybody," Naruto argued. "The parts of you I like the best are the ones that are so different from your brother. Your temper makes stuff more fun. I like to argue with you. I like fightin' with you. I like that you're sometimes brutally honest. I think Itachi knows how to let stuff slide and he's got the patience of a Saint, but that means y'don't always know where you stand with him. When it comes to you, I always think we're on the same page, am I right? Like... Oh, I know how to describe it. With you, I feel comfortable. Like how you feel when you get to crawl into your own bed at night."

Sasuke squinted at him. "You _are_ drunk."

Naruto barked out a laugh and shoved into him. "Shut up."

"But you won't be crawling into your own bed tonight," he said. "If you're tired of being here, I could always send you home with one of the guys."

"What? When did I say I was tired of bein' here?"

Sasuke shrugged. "It's only a suggestion."

"I'm confused. Did I say somethin' wrong?"

"No. Never."

Naruto sighed. "You make my head hurt."

"I thought I made you comfortable. Like a wet blanket."

"God, you are such a bastard." The other boy shook his head in dismay. "Sasuke?"

"What."

When Naruto didn't say anything, he gave him a poke in the side.

"What, Naruto?"

"Nothin'."

"Don't do that." He poked him again.

"Ow, stop pokin' me!"

"You were going to say something."

"So."

"You're annoying," he said. "Maybe I should go have a drink."

"Maybe." Naruto stuffed his hands in his front pocket. "Wonder what Gaara's up to."

"Your friend? Why don't you call him if you miss him."

"He doesn't believe in phones."

"Okay..."

"If you met him, you'd get it. He's a lot like you in that he isn't a fan of people, but you're way better with them than he ever was. It took a while for us to become friends. When we were young, he was a bit odd to say the least, but then he grew on me. I miss him sometimes, but, eh, I s'pose shit happens. His sister was hot."

Sasuke smirked. "What was she like?"

"Hm. Older than me. Short, blond hair. Very bossy. Smart. She could beat the crap out of me, and she did a couple of times when I caused trouble at their house. I used to stay over there a lot. I liked hangin' out with them. They had another brother, too. He always gave me shit."

"And you liked these people?" Sasuke asked him curiously.

"Yep." Naruto nodded. "Loved 'em. They were like family to me."

Sasuke nodded in silence.

"Ugh. Drinkin' makes me all nostalgic and whiny, doesn't it?"

"I don't mind hearing your stories," said Sasuke. "I don't have any of my own to tell."

"S'cause you're too modest to go on about yourself."

"I'm not as modest as you think."

Naruto made a humming noise. "I can say one thing. You never brag about how awesome you are, and that says a lot about a person, right?"

"You brag all the time," Sasuke replied.

"Heh." Naruto scratched the back of his neck. "I'm one of those special exceptions. I don't brag that much, do I?"

"No." Sasuke smiled, and it was his turn to lean into Naruto a bit.

Naruto smiled at him. "See. You're warmin' up."

"It's easy to warm up to you."

"I did tell your mom I'd keep you warm. Doubt that's what she meant, though. I think your mom has a thing for me. She said I could have any girl at school I wanted."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Idiot. That's not exactly how she phrased it. But..." He cleared his throat, catching the boy's attention. "She's probably right."

Naruto's eyes got big and his grin got broader. "Bastard."

"You like to be complimented, don't you?" He asked absently, mostly because Naruto's whole demeanor tended to change when he did do it.

Naruto frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I didn't mean it in a bad way. It was more of an observation. It makes me want to do it more."

"Suspicious," said Naruto, studying him carefully. "Why would you be nice to me?"

Sasuke smirked. "Besides the obvious?"

"What's the obvious?"

He shook his head. "You're lucky you're not bad to look at."

"Hey!" Naruto punched him in the arm. "Wait. I mean... thanks?"

"Hn. Did I mention you look good in my hoodie?"

Naruto started smiling again.

"See," Sasuke said in a quieter tone. "You turn to mush when I say nice things."

"I do not turn to mush!"

"You do." He gave one of the strings a tug. "I like you best in just a towel, though."

"Sasuke!" Naruto looked around them - but no one was even paying attention. If it hadn't been obvious enough tonight, everyone was practically pushing them together anyway. Naruto was the only one oblivious enough not to notice. "Tch. Anyway. The first time you saw me in a towel you picked a fight with me, remember?"

"It's also when I kissed you."

"Well, yeah." Naruto ruffled the hair at the back of his head. "But not 'cause I was in a towel,

right? You were, how did you put it, 'moved by my words'?"

"True," he said. "But this afternoon was another story."

"Hm."

When he looked at Naruto, the boy was biting his lip, deep in thought apparently.

"Naruto," he said softly.

"Yeah?" Naruto stopped biting his lip and glanced at him.

Sasuke fought the urge to kiss him. That expression of concentration looked so good on Naruto, and the flickering flames of the fire sent shadows dancing across his profile. Plus he was wearing Sasuke's sweatshirt... and the memory of the various things that had happened between them today kept floating through his mind. Naruto on top of him when they were on the floor, the way it felt so good to feel his mouth against his skin, and then before they'd come out to the back yard while in his bedroom...

"Sasuke? You look like you're in a daze." Naruto smirked in a cocky manner that told him he was purposely mocking him about earlier. "Are you turned on right now?"

Clearly, he meant it as a joke, and it wasn't that he was turned on... it was more like the frustration and tension of what was between them... he just wanted to let it go and act on it, fuck the consequences.

"I wouldn't go that far," he said seriously, gaze dropping to Naruto's lips, "But if no one else was around..." He looked Naruto in the eye. "I would probably try to kiss you right now."

Naruto stared a minute, brow furrowed at first, but then it smoothed out and he returned to biting his bottom lip. "Really?"

"Or, I could do it even though everybody is around..."

Naruto chuckled nervously before saying, "About before..."

"Mm?"

"Why do y'think stuff like that keeps happening between us?"

Sasuke almost snorted.

Naruto must've sensed his thoughts. "I ... I'm not stupid. I know why it could be that way for you. You like guys. I ... am a guy. We get along. But, I dunno how to explain why I sometimes..."

"Feel attracted to me?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

"I don't know. Maybe that's the natural outcome. Because I'm gay it makes sense that I might be physically attracted to you, and when we're close, it just... comes out. Maybe you get caught up in it, too. We're teenagers, right? I'm sure either of us could rub up against a tree and get halfway excited."

Naruto let out a laugh. "Really, Sasuke? A tree? So basically rubbin' up on me is the same as rubbin' up on a tree?"

"That's not what I meant, but I'm trying to tell you that it doesn't have to mean you are gay or bisexual or even interested in me that way. You know it would be okay to feel that way around me, so it's easy for you to... show it?"

"Maybe..."

Sasuke, on a whim, reached for Naruto's wrist and encircled his fingers around it.

"How's my pulse?" Naruto asked, letting Sasuke continue to hold onto him.

"Thready." He smirked. "Faster now."

"So, maybe there's something... what of it? You wouldn't date me, right? I... can't even comprehend the idea of datin' a boy."

"I told you," he said. "In a perfect world, I would very much date you."

Naruto's mouth fell open.

"Lucky for you. It's not a perfect world, Naruto." He grinned crookedly at the boy's obvious surprise.

"Don't say that. Don't say it like I lucked out, especially when I know you mean it's not perfect 'cause you don't wanna," Naruto made a face, "disappoint your father. I don't want to hear excuses like that, and if we were to seriously wanna date each other, I wouldn't accept that you couldn't date me simply because of that."

"Simply?" Sasuke asked, letting go of his wrist. "What's simple about my situation?"

"Nothing. But. That's just how I feel. I couldn't be with someone who wasn't able to be... completely honest. It's not like I don't get it, but doin' it to please your dad... I just..." Naruto blew out a frustrated breath. "I can't change how I feel on that, so before it could even enter my head to think of you that way..."

"I'd have to come out to my parents?" He finished for him. "I know that, which is why it's come up that it's not even worth discussing 'what if' scenarios. Besides that, there's the whole issue of you being straight, Naruto."

"Sometimes I think you use that as an excuse."

"You being straight is an excuse?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"How do you figure?"

Naruto looked directly at him. "Because, you dumbass. The last thing on my mind when we were in your bedroom was puttin' a stop to what was happening."

Sasuke's lips parted. "And what was happening?"

"You tell me."

He didn't have a particular answer in mind, but he didn't have to come up with one anyway since Deidara appeared out of nowhere, pouncing on the both of them from behind as he slipped his arms around their shoulders.

"Hey, boys. The guys and I were thinking of playing a little game."

Naruto didn't appear too enthused, and Sasuke was annoyed at having their alone time interrupted.

"What kind of game?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, you know. What do kids your age usually play around the campfire?" asked Deidara.

Sasuke had to blow some of the blond's hair out of his face. "The game where you throw the blond transvestite into the fire?"

"Very funny," said Deidara. "We were thinking of a little truth or dare."

"Are you serious?" Sasuke asked. "How old are you? Twelve?"

"I don't mind," Naruto said suddenly. "Sounds fun."

"That's my boy!" cried Deidara, placing a kiss to Naruto's cheek that left a pink stain. "I love a man who knows how to be spontaneous. Sasuke has so much to learn from you. Did you finish your drink already? Should I make you another?"

"Sure," Naruto said, and as he stood up, Deidara removed his arm from Sasuke and held it out expectantly, waiting for Naruto to take it.

Shockingly, Naruto accepted, and, together, they left Sasuke on the bench. Wait. Had he said something wrong again? He didn't think so.

Didn't Naruto know what these people were getting up to? Clearly they were being set up because they thought it would be funny to pair the two of them off. Sasuke wondered if he could get out of it, but he knew Deidara could be extremely persuasive.

Maybe he should figure out which would be safer… truth, or dare?

Probably neither.

* * *

Somehow Deidara roped everyone into playing at least one round of, what Sasuke thought to be, one of the stupidest games ever invented. Even though he'd agreed to it, it didn't stop Hidan from constantly complaining about it. However, once Naruto got up to bring him another beer, it shut the older man up for a while. Naruto decided to sit by Hidan then, and to Hidan's right was Jirōbō. Deidara, Itachi, and Kimimaro were sharing the bench, and Sasuke had his own chair between Kimimaro and Jirōbō. He noticed that Naruto had another cup in hand, and he kept exchanging comments with Hidan. Sasuke tried not to stare, but it was definitely odd to watch the two of them interact. He never would've guessed they'd get along.

"Well, since I started this whole thing, I suppose I shall ask first because," Deidara made a grand, sweeping gesture with his arm, "Ladies always go first. Itachi, you're next to me. Why don't I begin with you?"

"Me? If you're going to dare me to sleep with you, it's not going to happen," said Itachi.

"Okay, so how about we start with Jirōbō then?" Deidara glared at Itachi. "You're no fun. So, Jirōbō, truth or dare?"

Jirōbō didn't look too happy about this turn of events. "Truth seems the safest coming from you, Deidara."

"Really, and you all call yourself men?" Deidara swished his long hair over his shoulder. "Fine, let me think... oh, I know. So, I heard you went out with Kisame a few weeks ago, and you guys totally hooked up, so now I want to know, just how big is his penis? Is it as big as I've heard?"

Jirōbō, who'd been in the process of drinking his beer, spit it out across the fire. "Who the hell told you that?"

Deidara shrugged. "I have my sources."

"Holy shit, is that really true?" Hidan asked. "That fuckin' blows my mind."

Sasuke also looked on in surprise. He glanced at his brother but wasn't able to read his expression. Kisame was one of Itachi's best friends for a long time, but he didn't come into town very often anymore since he'd moved to Portland.

"Well," said Deidara. "Clearly we're all waiting."

"You just want me to admit it happened," Jirōbō replied. "Fine, fuck it. Yeah, it happened once. We went to the club, had too much to drink, whatever. He's probably gonna kill me now, so that's great."

Deidara leered. "He was big, wasn't he?"

"Not all of us our size queens," remarked Jirōbō. "Let's move on."

Sasuke shook his head. "That is not an image I wanted in my head."

"Sasuke, you shouldn't think about my friends in a sexual manner," Itachi told him.

"If I could help it, I wouldn't."

"It's normal," said Deidara, slinging an arm around his brother. "I'm sure he's wondering the same thing we all are except obviously Kisame would be the top in that relationship."

"I'm not sayin' anything," commented Jirōbō.

Deidara let out a squeal. "No way!"

"Right, so it's someone else's turn," said Jirōbō. "Kimimaro, truth or dare?"

Kimimaro looked up from the fire. "Dare is fine. It doesn't much matter to me."

"Brave man, okay. Why don't you show us your most recent tattoo?"

Hidan barked out a laugh.

"Ah, you have a tattoo?" Naruto turned to the older man. "That's so cool."

Kimimaro nodded at him. "I do." He smirked. "Do you want to see it?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You better think about where it might be first," he told Naruto.

"Wait. Why? Where does he have it?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "I'm sure you'll see soon enough."

As he said that, Kimimaro, entirely unfazed, undid his belt - and although Sasuke tried not to stare - he tugged his pants down at an angle (barely keeping his penis covered) and showed off this dark tribal-looking bird at the top inside of his thigh.

"Good God man," said Hidan. "Put that thing away."

"I'm not sure if I can see it from here," said Deidara. "Maybe if you pull your pants down all the way?"

"Gyah! Then at least change places with me," said Naruto. "Not all of us want cock in our faces 24/7."

"Maybe not all of us, but I would say only three of you would have a problem with it," said Deidara. "I mean, have you seen Kimimaro?"

Kimimaro adjusted his pants and redid his belt.

"It is a cool tattoo, though," Naruto told him. "Did it hurt?"

"No more than the others."

"Wow, how many do you have?"

"Several." Kimimaro smirked. "I can show you those, too, if you want."

"Heh. Maybe if I have another few of these," Naruto said, holding up his glass.

"That can be arranged." Hidan poured the rest of his beer into Naruto's cup.

"Hidan. He's only 16," said Sasuke. "Stop trying to get him drunk."

"Why not? Isn't that what kids your age do any more? You're not the boss of him, y'know, Sasuke." Hidan got out his pack of cigarettes.

"I suppose it's my turn to ask," Kimimaro announced softly. He turned to the blond sitting next to him. "Naruto," he said.

Naruto blinked at him. "Yeah?"

"Truth or dare?"

"Hmm. I s'pose it'd be pretty boring if I said truth." He shrugged. "I'll take dare."

Sasuke clenched the end of the chair's armrest. He didn't look it, but Kimimaro could be very sadistic when he wanted to.

"We know you're not interested in men like some of us... but if I asked you to kiss one, it wouldn't threaten your heterosexuality too much, would it?"

"Hey, my sexuality isn't easily threatened," Naruto replied. "So who am I supposed to kiss? You?"

"How about this," said Kimimaro, "You can choose anyone you feel most comfortable kissing."

"Oh." Naruto glanced around the circle, eyes lingering on each person for a handful of seconds until he got to Sasuke.

Sasuke stared back at him with as controlled an expression as he could. Part of him thought Naruto would still back out, or, hell, as much as he went on about Itachi, perhaps he'd think it was cute to kiss his brother on the cheek. Or even Deidara. Of everyone here, he was the most feminine.

"No problem." Naruto stood up, setting his cup to the side. He walked around slowly, heading Itachi's way, and as he passed, Deidara slapped him on the ass and laughed about it.

"I wonder where he's headed?" Deidara asked aloud.

When Naruto stood in front of him, looking down, Sasuke slowly raised his gaze from the fire.

"You don't have to do this," Sasuke told him. "It's just a stupid game."

"You don't want me to?" Naruto asked, slipping his hands into his pockets.

When Sasuke didn't say that he couldn't, Naruto knelt on the grass and placed his hands on top of Sasuke's knees.

"Is this okay?"

Sasuke regarded him a moment. "If you must."

Naruto sat up straighter and shifted further in between Sasuke's legs. He tugged at the front of Sasuke's sweatshirt. "You look nervous," he said, and in a low voice added, "It's not like we haven't technically kissed before."

"We don't want to see a quick peck either!" Deidara yelled. "Make it good. It could be Sasuke's first kiss with a boy!"

Some of the other guys cackled, but he tuned them out. He was still looking into Naruto's eyes, trying to determine what he was going to do.

"I s'pose I gotta make the first move, huh?" Naruto placed a hand on his cheek and leaned in, head tilting to the side. "I could always kiss someone else if you'd prefer," he breathed against Sasuke's mouth.

Sasuke, taking hold of the front of Naruto's sweatshirt, kept him in place in case he was being serious. "I'd prefer you didn't."

"Thought as much." Naruto chuckled. "Shall we...?"

As Naruto's lips touched his, Sasuke's eyes automatically shut, and it felt almost electric from the very onset. He followed Naruto's lead. The blond's kisses were slow at first. Not unsure, just teasing and playful. It felt like he was smirking, so Sasuke pressed his teeth into Naruto's bottom lip to keep him from getting too cocky. Naruto let out a quiet grunt, and Sasuke immediately sucked gently at the same lip almost as an apology.

Unable to help himself, he placed a hand at the back of Naruto's neck and drew him in even closer as his fingers began to push through his hair. Naruto kept up with his eager pace as he let his hand fall away from Sasuke's cheek and dropped it to the inside of his thigh. When Naruto squeezed him, Sasuke heard himself make a noise of wanting into the kiss. He really wanted Naruto to move that hand further up his thigh -

But the whistling and catcalling coming from behind seemed to bring them both to their senses. Sasuke put a hand to Naruto's chest.

"That's probably enough." His voice was raspy and rough as they parted.

Naruto looked totally out of it. He still had a hand on Sasuke's thigh.

"Naruto," he said to him.

"Hm?"

"So, how was kissing Sasuke?" Deidara interrupted. "I have it on video in case you need to rewatch for yourself!"

"What?!" Naruto turned around. "You, you - bastard!"

Deidara waved his phone in the air. "As if I would miss the opportunity to record Sasuke kissing anybody. Such a proud day for all of us. Isn't it, Itachi?"

"Good work, Sasuke," Itachi deadpanned. "It's about time."

Naruto turned to him, looking red in the face. "That's a bit embarrassing." He clung to the front of Sasuke's hoodie. "I forgot they were there for a second."

Sasuke took that as a compliment. "Shall I hide you?"

Naruto nodded, and, with a smile, Sasuke put an arm around his shoulders and brought him against his chest, hiding him from everybody as he soothingly ran fingers through his hair.

"This game sucks," Naruto said, his voice muffled against Sasuke's chest.

"You're the one who wanted to play," Sasuke whispered in his ear.

"Shut up." Naruto buried his face even further, so Sasuke hugged him fully, patting his back every once in a while.

"Well, since Naruto's too embarrassed to participate further," said Deidara. "Why doesn't someone else go. Itachi? Hidan?"

"Haven't you caused enough trauma with this game?" Itachi asked.

"I need a cigarette, so do whatever you want," said Hidan. He got up and disappeared to somewhere over by the shed.

"No one has a problem with me going again, do they?" Deidara asked. "I have one more question, and that's... for Sasuke. Truth or dare?"

Sasuke glanced over. "I already have my hands full."

"You could just pick truth then, couldn't you?" Deidara asked sweetly.

"Fine, whatever. Truth."

"I was kidding about that being your first kiss. You know, a little birdy told me that you got your cherry popped recently."

Sasuke's eyes went wide and he stopped playing with Naruto's hair. Naruto seemed to go still against him too, quietly listening.

"What?" Itachi asked. "What the hell are you talking about, Deidara?"

"Oh, stop. Sasuke can't stay your little brother forever. If it's not true, he could always say so."

Everyone was staring at him expectantly, and here he had Naruto in his arms, they'd just kissed, and... could he deny it? Naruto knew it was true. He was curious as hell to know who told Deidara. Would Yahiko have mentioned it? He didn't think so. Yahiko wasn't that type of guy. That left Naruto.

"Naruto," he said.

"I didn't tell him," Naruto replied, knowing what he was going to ask already. "It's no one's business."

"From the look on your face, I'm under the impression my information's correct," said Deidara. "Well, who was it? I have to know what kind of guy you would be into. I'm so curious! Was he someone from your school? I can guess it wasn't Naruto since he's only been here a week."

Naruto finally emerged from the folds of Sasuke's sweatshirt. "That's not any of your fuckin' business, Deidara!"

"Naruto," he said. "It's fine. I don't care if they know I've had sex."

"Yeah, but they wanna know who it was with. You don't have to tell them! It's just a stupid game."

Sasuke stared. "Why are you getting so angry?"

Naruto scowled. "Because."

"See, Itachi. We can't even have an open conversation about these things because he's probably afraid you'll kill whoever it was," Deidara said. "Fine. You can tell any one person here tonight. I won't ask you to tell all of us, though I am dying to know."

Sasuke looked at his brother first. Itachi rarely got angry, but he could tell he wasn't very pleased. If he told any of these guys, it would get back to Itachi by the end of the night. And if he told Naruto... he'd be disappointed in him. Then he'd end up getting some kind of self-righteous lecture, too.

"You can tell me," said Naruto. "If you want."

"I don't really want to."

"Then I guess you can tell them?"

"I can't do that either," he replied.

"I won't tell anyone if that's what you're worried about."

Sasuke sighed and grabbed at one of his hoodie strings. "That's not what I'm worried about."

"So, just tell me. You can trust me."

"You're telling Naruto then?" Deidara asked. "I suppose that means he doesn't know already? Oh, scandalous. Secrets don't make friends, Sasuke!"

"Shut up," Sasuke told him and then pulled at Naruto. "Come here." He whispered the name into his ear.

"...That sounds familiar," said Naruto. "I know that name. Wait, isn't that - ?"

Sasuke clapped a hand over his mouth. "Don't say it out loud, idiot. The point is I don't want anyone to know."

Naruto glared at him and dropped his voice. "If that's who I think it is... that's not cool, Sasuke."

Sasuke glared back. "Don't judge me. You have no right."

"Great, now you've started a lovers' spat," said Jirōbō. "I need another drink." He nudged Kimimaro who stood up with him to get something from the cooler.

"Well, Naruto," said Deidara. "Is it someone from your school? Is he cute? Is he Sasuke's type?"

"Uh." Naruto cleared his throat. "Somethin' like that. Don't know him all that well, but yeah."

"You're not jealous are you?" Deidara teased. "Is he in your class? I do so enjoy myself a good love triangle. You know, the three of you could probably work something out - "

"Shut up, Deidara," said Itachi. "Leave it alone."

"Whatever. It's cool." Naruto was quick to move away from him and get to his feet, obviously disappointed and upset over something that didn't even concern him. He dusted off the grass from his jeans.

Sasuke watched him walk toward the shed, wanting to follow, but suddenly his brother was standing in front of him.

"Sasuke," he said. "I'd like to have a word with you. Now."

Sasuke swallowed nervously. He didn't often hear his brother use that tone. Apparently, he didn't obey fast enough either because Itachi grabbed him by the front of his sweatshirt, yanked him to his feet, and dragged him off to the side and away from everybody else. Likely so there would be no witnesses for what was about to happen.


	12. Chapter 12

Sasuke stood there, looking off to the side as Itachi started in on a lecture about how he was too young, especially as homosexual boy, to be sexually active. Although, why it mattered more that he was gay, he wasn't sure. He knew about safe sex, of course. Last night, when Naruto mentioned _he'd_ had sex, hadn't Itachi pretty much clapped him on the back for it? Supposedly heterosexuals couldn't catch STDs from each other?

"At least tell me you used a condom," said Itachi.

"Yes," he nearly growled. "We used a condom. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"I'm beginning to wonder. And who is this mysterious other boy? Should I assume that since Naruto knows of him that he attends your school?"

Sasuke preferred not to have to directly lie. "It's none of your business. It was a one-time thing anyway."

"Well what if he causes trouble for you at school? Have you thought of that? You worry so much about what father thinks, and then you go and do something so reckless. I didn't even know about it."

"It's not something I felt comfortable talking to you about, okay? Mostly because I knew you'd blow it out of proportion like you're doing now," he said.

"You think I'm overreacting?" Itachi laughed at him. "You're still a child, Sasuke."

"Please, you were probably about my age when you had sex for the first time."

"No," said Itachi. "I was definitely older, because I'm a lot smarter than you."

"Whatever."

Itachi put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed hard enough that it hurt. "I'm not telling you all this because I think you're different than a straight boy, but I do think you need to be more careful and think a little harder about the decisions you make. It's also because I'm your brother, and I _care_ about you. I've seen how my friends can treat the men in their lives, and I don't want you to get hurt."

"It's not like I'm looking for a relationship. Clearly that's out of the question until I graduate."

"If I really thought you believed that," replied Itachi, "you wouldn't be trying so hard with Naruto. I don't know why he's upset, but you should go talk to him. It worries me that he doesn't seem very happy with your choice in sexual partners, so I can only imagine that I wouldn't be pleased if I knew all of the truth. However, I'll respect your decision to keep it private. Just know that I am not thrilled about this, especially that I had to learn about it from Deidara."

After that, Itachi walked away from him, leaving him there in the dark like he was a toddler being sat in a corner for time out.

Was it just him, or did it seem as if everyone was ganging up on him these days? How was his sex life anyone's business? Yes, he felt bad about lying and giving the impression that it was someone at their school, but he didn't feel bad that he'd slept with Yahiko. Maybe he would even confess to it if he didn't want to ruin the friendship Yahiko and Itachi shared. Plus, Sasuke was proud of his first time. It had been with someone who was a decent guy, someone he was attracted to, it had been fun, they'd been safe, and he wasn't necessarily romantically interested in him. As for Naruto. How the hell was he supposed to know Naruto would show up months afterward? So what if he did. Sure, they were apparently attracted to each other on some level and _yes_ he'd admitted that in a perfect world he would date the other boy, _but_... it wasn't a perfect world! He couldn't wait around until the end of time hoping that Naruto would somehow magically fall for him and be able to see himself in a relationship with another guy. What the hell kind of alternate universe would that be?

And...how exactly could he get there?

Sasuke rubbed at his aching head. First thing was first. He needed to find Naruto.

* * *

When he returned to the fire, everything seemed suspiciously normal. The guys were talking about what they wanted to do tonight and barely paid him any attention as he walked past them. Since he hadn't seen Naruto, he figured he was pouting somewhere nearby. As he went around to the back of the shed, he discovered Naruto and Hidan leaning against the siding, the both of them smoking a cigarette. Hidan was talking about baseball, and Naruto stood there with his head down and one foot lifted and pressed up against the shed.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked. "Are you smoking?"

"What gave it away?" Naruto sent him a side-long glare. "Hidan and I were talkin' if you don't mind."

Sasuke walked up to him in a hurry, grabbed the cigarette from his fingers, and tossed it out into the yard.

"Hey," said Hidan. "That's how forest fires get started."

"Shut up," Sasuke told him. "I'd like to talk to Naruto alone."

"Mind your manners, brat. Naruto doesn't seem like he wants to be bothered with you right now, and I can't imagine why. Probably 'cause you seem to think the world revolves around you." Hidan handed his cigarette to Naruto, but Sasuke snatched that one, as well, and threw it on the ground.

"The fuck, Sasuke? What is your problem?" Naruto left the side of the shed and got in his face.

"Why are you acting like a child?" Sasuke asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Tch. Funny you say that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean, and why I'm pissed off right now." Naruto put a hand to his chest and pushed him away. "Give me some space, jeez."

"Really? Really. You're going to act angry over something that is _none_ of your_fucking_ business, Naruto?"

"You better keep your voice down if you don't want everyone to hear about your business," Naruto said.

"Is that what you want? Do you want me to tell my brother about it? Do you know the damage that could do?"

"Er. Naruto, maybe I will take off, eh? It's making me ill to hear about Sasuke's sex life. I cannot believe I just had to say that sentence." After shuddering, Hidan pulled out another cigarette and slid it behind Naruto's ear. "Here, try not to let him trash this one, too. You might need it for later." He squeezed Naruto's shoulder. "Good luck, kid."

They both waited for Hidan to leave. Sasuke was about to grab that cigarette, too, but Naruto held up a hand.

"If you so much as touch me right now, you're gonna regret it."

Sasuke sneered. "You're threatening me?"

"Yeah, 'cause I'm fuckin' tired of you throwin' away my cigarettes."

"Why?" asked Sasuke. "Since you like to make a thing about not respecting my choices, I should respect your stupid decision to smoke? Jesus, Naruto. Didn't your mother die of cancer?"

Next thing he knew, he was flat on the ground with Naruto crouched over him, looking positively feral. He had a hold of Sasuke's sweatshirt.

Sasuke glared up at him and swiped at the corner of his mouth. He glanced at his fingers, spotting blood.

"Don't," said Naruto. "Don't _ever_ talk about my mother. Don't you fuckin' compare any of this shit with her."

Sasuke didn't say anything. He shouldn't have said that, but it was stupid of Naruto to go all self-destructive over something so small.

"Just leave me alone, Sasuke." Naruto got off of him and went over to lean against the shed again. He grabbed for the cigarette and then cursed. "Bastard left me with a cigarette and no goddam lighter."

Sasuke didn't leave him alone, but he didn't get up from the grass either. He let his eyes stray to the sky, which was clouding over, but through the gaps, he could see an array of stars. He let his palm rub over the newly-cut grass. It was weird to think, but Naruto punching him had calmed him. It would've made more sense for him to be angry, maybe even retaliate, but a part of him wondered if maybe he did deserve it - whether it be for the comment about Naruto's mother or that he'd had sex with his brother's best friend, five years his senior, at a stupid party, in a cramped bathroom, and under the influence of alcohol.

But, how was that different from what he knew of Naruto's first time? Other than the sibling's friend-thing, and that she was only two years older...

Sasuke closed his eyes, waiting for the answer to come to him. He didn't know how long he lay there like that, but when he opened his eyes, it was to find Naruto crouching beside him.

"I know I didn't punch you _that_ hard."

"You didn't," he said. "I barely felt it."

"Tch. You're an asshole even now."

"I've never been anything but an asshole, Naruto. You should know that."

Naruto hummed. "Maybe you're right." He sighed. "No wonder you didn't want to tell me."

Sasuke tried to make out his expression in the dark. Naruto was looking off to the side, and the moonlight was temporarily hidden by the clouds.

"I wish I could be as honest as you," he quietly confessed. "But I don't think I'm at a place where I can be."

Naruto nodded. "I told you it's 'cause I don't have time for games or pretenses or posturing."

"I'm surprised you know what those words mean."

Slowly, Naruto turned his head to regard him. He stood up and put his foot on top of Sasuke's chest. He didn't apply pressure or anything.

"You could do it," said Sasuke. "After all, there's nothing inside."

"God, you're like that one guy in that play we're talkin' about in English class. Hamlet or whatever. You're gonna go all tortured on me, aren't you?"

"This above all: to thine own self be true," murmured Sasuke, "And it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man."

"Er, yeah. Did Hamlet say that?"

"No. Pelonius. He was a bit of an idiot, though."

"Still good advice," Naruto muttered. "Even if he's an idiot."

Sasuke reached for his ankle and held onto it. "Shall I put my life in your hands and let you exact judgment on me for my offenses?"

"Maybe I _did_ punch you too hard," said Naruto.

"I'm being serious. You think I did something wrong according to your principles and morals, so what can I possibly do to make it right in the court of Naruto?"

"I don't think in court you should be the jury, judge, and executioner, right?" Naruto tried to move his foot, but Sasuke kept it in place right over his heart. "It's not like that. When I get angry or disappointed I can't always easily change how I feel. And it's not that I'm mad at you, or that I'm jealous... I feel mad at that Yahiko guy for takin' advantage of you, I feel bad that your brother doesn't know, I feel mad that you've lied to him, and, yeah, I do kinda feel mad that your first time really was with a pedo. Not an online one, but same thing."

"He's not a pedophile," Sasuke said. "I came onto him. It's what I wanted. I have no regrets."

"You don't feel a little bit bad for your brother?"

"It's none of his business, and also, I could've done worse. You don't know him, but Yahiko is a decent guy. He's nice, which is more than I can say about most of my brother's queer friends. As in, I knew I could trust him to be my first time."

"Those are your honest feelings?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke squeezed at his ankle. "Yes. There's nothing left anymore. You know everything."

"Hm."

Biting his lip, Sasuke let go of him. "Since they're all going into town soon, you're still welcome to catch a ride. They could drop you off at your apartment."

Naruto removed his foot, stared for a handful of seconds, and then knelt beside him on the grass. "Do you really think the guy with abandonment issues is gonna allow himself to abandon anyone else?"

"Is that rhetorical?" Sasuke smirked.

Finally, Naruto let out a laugh, and, afterward, he grabbed hold of Sasuke's sweatshirt sleeve, pinching at it every so often.

"It's weird," he said to Sasuke, "That I can get so worked up on your behalf, and that... the result of my anger is to wanna push you away."

"That's what being self-righteous is," Sasuke responded. "You were disappointed in me, weren't you?"

"I dunno. Maybe. I thought it was that, but when I really think about it... it's just me bein' mad that someone would take advantage of you or hurt you. I guess if our positions were reversed, and my first time had been with a woman five years older than me, would anyone get mad about that?"

"Maybe," he said. "Then again, the way people see gender roles is all over the place. It could be that an older woman and a younger boy isn't seen the same because of, well, the method of penetration. Would you think of it differently if I had been the one to top him? I don't know."

"I'm not sure," Naruto answered. "I still can't help but see him as this guy drivin' an unmarked white van with tinted windows, and he hands you some candy, and then, regardless of whether he diddles you or you diddle him... it doesn't sit well with me. But, add in the fact, he's your brother's friend, Sasuke... what were you thinking?"

"That I was horny and really wanted to be able to experience sex with a man before I turned 30?"

"You're only 16," Naruto said. "Were you at least, y'know, safe?"

"I already got the safe sex lecture from Itachi, thank you. Yes, we used a condom. Did you use one with that girl?"

"I did. Of course I did! What teenage boy doesn't carry around one in his wallet? At least to show off to his friends."

Sasuke smirked. "You know, you can't use the same one all night."

Naruto scrunched his nose. "I know that! I... took care of it."

"You never know," he said, "Maybe a little Naruto will be running around Illinois within a few months."

"Holy shit. Don't even joke about that!" Naruto, unknowingly, squeezed his arm. "You're lucky. At least you won't have to worry about knockin' up a girl."

"True." Sasuke sat up, knees drawn to his chest; Naruto's hand fell away.

"It's getting cold," said Naruto.

Sasuke reached over and pulled up his hood. "There, how's that? I wouldn't want you to catch pneumonia. Then I'd have to get you naked, throw you in my bed, and rub my own naked body against yours."

"I'm surprised you're not rippin' my clothes off in that case." Naruto grinned. "You_want_ me to get pneumonia, don't you?"

"What are you trying to say?" asked Sasuke. "You think I want to do disgusting things like rub up on another boy? That's disturbing and wrong."

"Shut up." Naruto chuckled and shoved him in the shoulder. He shifted around until he sat cross-legged next to him. "If only I'd gotten here sooner. I mighta volunteered to be your first time. That way you wouldn't have been violated by a pedo, and you wouldn't have slept with your brother's friend."

"You said you watch Dr. Who. Why don't you go look for a TARDIS?"

"Eh, I dunno if I coulda made your first time all that special. I've been a brat over the past year or so. I'm still a brat."

"Well," Sasuke grabbed the bottom of Naruto's pant leg. "You could be my second time, _or_ you can get down on all fours and help me experience my first time as a top? I think it's how I would prefer sex with another guy if I'm honest. But how will I know for sure?"

Naruto appeared to be thinking on it.

"I was kidding, Naruto," he said.

"I figured, but... the idea of helpin' you out..."

"Naruto." He tugged at his jeans and studied his face closely.

"What? It's just a thought. We'd have to work up to you stickin' your dick up my ass, but I mean... the idea of lettin' some other old guy perv on you 'cause you have nowhere else to go but Itachi's entourage..."

"Why don't I just save myself until you come around?" Sasuke suggested with a smirk.

"Wouldn't it be the other way around?" Naruto asked. "Since I haven't had anal sex. I'd be savin' my butt virginity for you?"

"The things you say sometimes." Sasuke sighed.

"You really wanna do me on all fours? That's so... impersonal."

"I'm sorry. Would you prefer I make love to you, Naruto?"

Naruto rubbed at the back of his neck. "Asshole."

"Are you blushing?" He teased.

"No."

"You are." Sasuke let his hand wander up to Naruto's shin, then up some more to his knee. "You're lucky I jerked off earlier. Now I won't have to attack you when we go to bed."

"Yeah, right. You jerked off once? Do you know how often I jerk off in a day sometimes?"

"No, but I'd be happy to hear about it. In detail." Sasuke grinned.

Naruto sniggered. "You're so bad."

"At least I know you like making out with me."

Naruto fidgeted a bit and cleared his throat.

"I'll take that as confirmation," he murmured. "Since I know you don't like to lie if you can help it."

"Of course I liked kissin' you." Naruto stuck out his bottom lip at him. "We've been dancin' around stuff like that for the past several days. Even before comin' to your house. Last week, there were several moments that I wondered..."

"Hmm?" Sasuke moved his hand back to Naruto's shin.

"Tell me a fantasy you've had of me."

Sasuke nearly choked on his own spit. "What?"

"You owe me. So, tell me what you thought of. From today or whenever if you really have thought about me more than once."

"You're kidding." His hand dropped to the grass.

Naruto shook his head. "Nope."

"What do I get out of it if I tell you?"

"My respect that you're willin' to be honest and open with me about everything even if it's embarrassing or awkward?"

"Right," he said. "Because you'd be so eager to do the same. By the way, have you thought of me yet?"

"Don't change the subject." Naruto pushed at his knee.

"Well, there's not much to tell regarding this afternoon because it didn't last exceptionally long."

"No?"

"I'd say under three minutes."

"Ah, that's how long it takes for instant ramen to be ready!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"What?" asked Naruto. "Just sayin'. 'Cause we had real ramen and all today."

"Wonderful."

"I can come that fast, too, but only if I think really nasty stuff." He leaned in close to Sasuke. "Were you thinkin' really nasty shit about me, Sasuke?"

Sasuke covered Naruto's face with a hand and pushed him away. "You're too close, idiot."

"I bet you were." Naruto looked smug.

"Anyway," he said. "I did have a dream. Very soon after meeting you. I didn't even think I liked you at that point."

"Mm. Continue. Although, I dunno what you mean as I was likable from the beginning."

"Hardly. You were very clingy."

"Hmph. Jerk."

"If you're done interrupting me." Sasuke leaned toward him and then back again. "I was in the shower at school. You knocked on the door, and because I thought maybe it was an emergency, I opened it, and then you walked in and pretty much assaulted me."

"I did? I assaulted you? I wouldn't do that!"

"I suppose it wasn't exactly like that. You did come in, dressed in your school clothes, and pushed me up against the wall."

"Interesting," said Naruto. "I can see myself doin' that. I like to take the lead. Then what happened?"

"We kissed." He licked his lips and tilted his head, inclining it toward Naruto. "You were very... forceful."

"Was I?" Naruto smirked. "Is that how you like it?"

"I like it different ways." Sasuke stared at him for a moment.

"How would you know?"

"Okay. Then I have a variety of fantasies I've imagined and I'd like to have happen. Or that's all they are - just fantasies. Do you really want to try _everything_you fantasize?"

"Uh, yeah. Usually. If I could." Naruto pulled his knees up.

Sasuke figured he meant it, which was... very appealing. "I bet sex with you would never be boring at least."

"Gee, thanks. So in your dream, did we, y'know, do it?"

"Are you still on about that?" He asked, running a hand through his hair as he heard laughter coming from over by the fire. "I think you, being the brute you are, shoved me face-first against the wall... and then my alarm went off."

"Ah, bummer." Naruto smiled. "What day was that? Thursday? In anticipation of goin' out with me, I'm sure?"

"Not quite." Sasuke's gaze slipped to Naruto's hand, which was settled in his lap. "More like... Monday night?"

"M-Monday? Are you kiddin' me? That was the first day we met! And you were such a dick to me! Wait, is that why you were such a douche on Tuesday morning?"

"So you _are_ capable of putting two and two together? Besides," he said. "It's not like I _wanted_ to be having dreams about you at that point. I'm sure I was just sexually frustrated."

"Ha ha. You wanted to bone me from the very beginning! Or, wanted me to bone you it seems. In the shower, eh? That is dirty, Sasuke. You really are the exhibitionist I thought you were."

"It's why I was annoyed with you for wandering around the locker room in that towel."

"You really do have a towel fetish," Naruto remarked.

"Or, it's annoying to be attracted to you when you're always walking around half-naked in front of me."

"Ah, I see your dilemma. You could've said somethin'."

"I always do!"

"Well. It's not as if a lotta the times I don't know what I'm doin'."

"Pardon?" Sasuke turned himself so that he was facing Naruto. "So help me if you say you purposely pranced around in a towel in front of me to drive me crazy - "

"I definitely do not _prance_," said Naruto, and he had the audacity to grin that stupid wolfish, sexy grin of his.

Sasuke glared at him. "You suck."

"Not always," Naruto clarified. "Sometimes I know. I dunno why I do it. Maybe I just liked the attention. Maybe I'm sometimes into you. Who knows?"

"You're so frustrating, you know that?" Sasuke groaned. "I told you you're full of mixed signals."

"Yeah, but when stuff happens, I never stop it, or haven't you noticed?"

Sasuke had to think on it. It's true that on the couch, they'd been interrupted by his father, and that time upstairs had come to a stop because Sasuke wouldn't answer Naruto's question, and then in his room, they'd been interrupted by Itachi. Even last night, when they were about to get on the bus to come to his house, Naruto said something about kissing... and Sasuke had become nervous and walked away first. The truth or dare game, too. Naruto had followed through, only walking away when Sasuke told him about Yahiko.

It occurred to him that if he ever really wanted something to happen between them, he should keep his mouth shut, answer any and all of Naruto's questions, or lock the fucking door!

Hm. Was there a way he could get Naruto to help keep his mouth occupied?

"Sasuke, you're zonin' out." Naruto grabbed his knee and tugged him so that he nearly wobbled in the other boy's direction.

"I was just thinking of all the reasons why we _have_ stopped. I've come to the conclusion that you should find a creative way to keep my mouth from saying anything that might piss you off."

Naruto blinked at him. "Holy shit. I cannot believe you just said _exactly_ what you were thinkin'. I dunno whether to kiss you as a reward or go hide somewhere 'cause maybe once you start, you won't be able to stop."

"Is that really such a bad thing?" Sasuke asked. "Also, I'd prefer the kiss as my reward."

"Yeah, it's a bad thing. Bad for my heart. I'm not prepared for an honest you!"

"Oh. Why not?"

"Just... just 'cause!"

"Naruto," he called him in a low voice and put a hand on his thigh, squeezing it. "Does it get you all flustered when I'm honest?"

"...No!"

Sasuke chuckled. "Uh huh. You should never have told me about this power. You should've left it alone. Why did you have to go and make an honest man of me?"

Naruto fell over onto the grass, pounding his fist against the ground. "Stop it!"

Sasuke got up on his knees and leaned partially on top of him. "Wait until I get to the part where I tell you all of the dirty stuff I've thought about when it comes to you. Stuff I've _honestly_ thought or imagined..."

"Grah! Cut it out!"

Feeling playful, Sasuke nipped at Naruto's earlobe and then blew into his ear. "Naruto..."

He put a hand on the other boy's hip, and pulled him against the front of his body. Sasuke pushed the hair falling across the back of his neck to the side and scraped his teeth across Naruto's skin.

"Sasuke," Naruto groaned, and because it sounded like a sexy whimper or whine, he gave pause. His hand on the blond's hip tightened a bit, almost possessively. Naruto was practically underneath him, and he certainly wasn't protesting.

Again, it was Sasuke that was the one hesitating.

"It's getting cold," he said to Naruto.

"Really? Feels kinda warm to me."

He snaked an arm around Naruto's chest and held him for just a little while longer.

"You suck," he whispered and, lifting up, kissed him at the nape of his neck before burying his face there, smelling the scent of his own cologne on him. "Why do you have to be so sexy, huh?"

Sasuke, moving his hand, let it wander up inside the other boy's sweatshirt. Naruto was quiet, but his breathing seemed heavier. Watching for a reaction - and it was hard to see Naruto's face from this angle - Sasuke pushed the t-shirt up, too, so that he could touch skin.

Naruto let out a hiss. "Your hand's cold."

"Sorry," his voice came out husky. "I should've warmed it up first."

"I'm sure your brother and his friends are about ready to go. Maybe it's time to go inside anyway."

"Can we... continue where we left off when we go in the house?" Sasuke removed his hand and tugged Naruto's shirt down for him. He sat up, and as he did, Naruto rolled over, looking up at him.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" he asked.

"Right now, there are parts of me that think it's a very _great_ idea."

"Can I think on it?"

"I don't want to do anything you wouldn't want to."

Naruto nodded and sat up. He got to his feet first, and then held out a hand. Sasuke took it, allowing himself to be pulled up. Naruto kept holding onto his hand as they looked at one another.

"Fuck it," Sasuke muttered and leaned in, pressing his mouth to Naruto's. It took a few seconds, but Naruto's mouth began to move against his, and it was so indescribably amazing that it felt like his heart was ready to jump out of his ribcage in joy.

Sasuke cupped the side of Naruto's face and opened his mouth more, resulting in their tongues touching for the first time. He absolutely could not stop himself from groaning wantonly. The kiss ended, much to his dismay, because Naruto started to laugh at him. He didn't move far from Sasuke. In fact, he was clinging to the front of his sweatshirt with his right hand. He had his head bowed, and a smile played upon his lips.

God, he was so attracted to this person that he wanted them to go at it right here.

"Come on," Naruto said to him, and grabbing his hand, urged him to start walking. He only let go when they were rounding the shed and faced with the group still loitering by the fire.

All at once, every single one of them looked their way and, simultaneously, they burst out into whoops and catcalls.

Even Sasuke felt his face turning red.

"I believe that's a sign to take our leave," Itachi said, standing up from his chair. "We'll take care of all of this out here before we go. See you tomorrow, Sasuke. Good night, Naruto."

"Heh." Naruto gave them a wave. "Night, guys. Have a good time."

Unfortunately, Deidara sprinted over and grabbed Naruto up in his arms. "I could not be prouder. I'm sure Sasuke is in good hands. Don't mess with him, Naruto, because you'll have all of us to deal with!"

"I got it," said Naruto, and without being bothered to do so, he reached for Sasuke's hand and led them on a slow walk toward the house. Sasuke was too struck with giddiness to be able to string a coherent sentence together, let alone a single word.

He glanced over at Naruto, who glanced back at him... and grinned.

Sasuke smiled, too, but almost shyly. Naruto laughed at him.

"Shut up, idiot." Sasuke looked off, scowling playfully.

"You're kinda cute when you play all hard to get," Naruto told him.

"Hn. I don't know about cute, but maybe it's something I can try more often."

* * *

It wasn't long before they'd wandered down to the basement, both in the mood to take advantage of having the house to themselves by playing a record at full volume. They were briefly interrupted by Itachi who'd brought his guitar in for him, and, not so subtly, mentioned that their parents wouldn't be home for another two hours. A few minutes later, and he was gone, leaving them conveniently alone. Sasuke was sitting on the edge of the couch, one leg drawn up onto the cushions while Naruto was busy nosing through the records, making fun of him for all of the Michael Jackson albums he owned. He'd let Naruto be the one to choose what to play, and he'd gone with the record they'd bought at the store together.

"Trying to relive our first date?" Sasuke teased.

"Shut up, Sasuke," he replied with a laugh. "I liked it when we were listenin' to it in the phone booth. That lady sure had a lot of cats, didn't she?"

"She did. As far back as I remember, she's always had lots of cats running around. Sometimes there are kittens. When I bring my mom, she often comments about adopting one."

"Oh, yeah? You should tell her to get an orange one and name it after me."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Does it have to be orange?"

"Yes," Naruto said, giving a succinct nod but not elaborating as to the why, other than he apparently shared an affinity for orange-colored boxers.

When Naruto finished pawing through all of the albums, he turned the volume down just a bit and wandered over to the sofa. They were both in shirts and jeans since Sasuke had thrown the sweatshirts in the wash because they smelled like smoke. While Naruto stood in front of him with that cocky grin he sometimes wore, Sasuke impulsively grabbed for one of his belt loops. Because he was an idiot, Naruto fell forward into his lap when he gave him a hard tug.

"You asshole," said Naruto, one of his hands holding onto Sasuke's shoulder for support.

"Sorry, I should've remembered how clumsy you can be." He kept his hands off and simply enjoyed the image of Naruto straddling his thighs. "You smell like beer."

"I wonder why."

"Also, you tasted like cigarettes earlier."

"I barely had time to smoke that one before you got rid of it," Naruto argued. "Oh." He reached up, frowning when he realized the one Hidan had given him was no longer there. "Shit, where did it go?"

"Probably fell out when we were rolling around in the grass together."

Naruto stared at him suspiciously. "What's happened to you, like, for real? Are you just gonna say everything that comes to mind now?"

"That's what you always do, am I right?"

"Well, yeah. 'Cause that's my thing."

Much to his disappointment, Naruto decided to get off of his lap, but only so that he could sit right next to him. Their sides and arms touched. Naruto had a habit of getting in someone's personal space. There could be a whole room full of couches and he would choose the one you were sitting on and then sit right on top of you, too.

Not that Sasuke minded. He kept staring at Naruto's hand, wanting to grab it, but somehow that felt even more intimate than stealing a kiss.

"Hey," Naruto said to him suddenly.

Sasuke looked up, realizing that he'd been caught.

Naruto tilted his head, smiling at him. "What were you thinkin' just then?"

He sighed. "I was thinking about grabbing your hand."

The blond boy lifted an eyebrow. "And doin' what with it?"

"Holding it."

Naruto stared at him for a long time, and Sasuke kept his gaze even. It wasn't easy to always be honest when Naruto asked questions, but the result was always encouraging, and it was amusing that the other teen continued to be surprised when he said exactly what he thought.

"Man, this really is dangerous," Naruto murmured and reached for Sasuke's hand. He interlaced their fingers and let their hands rest between them. "Happy now?"

"Don't do it because I'm some crusade to you."

Naruto made a face. "God, your pillow talk needs some work. I've done so well at chippin' away at your evasiveness. Now I have to work on the paranoia, it seems."

"I see. So I'm a pet project?"

"It's not at all like that. Could you just shut up and enjoy the moment? You didn't have a problem shuttin' off your brain when we were outside."

"If I shut down my brain, I may make another mistake and piss you off again."

"Why do we have to overanalyze stuff? Let's just do what we wanna do."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Now _that_ could be a very dangerous thing to say."

"We'll set ground rules then," Naruto declared. "I don't _really_ wanna have sex as in,_y'know_. For a few reasons."

"That's your only ground rule? What if, in the heat of the moment, you change your mind?"

Naruto bit his lip. "As much as I'd love to help you out with your gay experiences, you're gonna wind up on the bottom in that case."

"But I bought your dinner last night." Sasuke smirked. "Isn't that how it works with you heterosexual couples?"

Naruto's hand squeezed his a little tighter as he lifted it up and dropped it again. "You really think you wanna have sex with me?"

Sasuke was surprised by the seriousness of his tone. "Is this a trick question?"

He shook his head. "No. I mean... what would be the point? You're attracted to me, yeah, but say we have sex, and then what... I'm just some straight kid you had sex with that one time?"

Sasuke felt confused, and it probably showed on his face. "I don't know what you mean."

"If you don't, then that's fine, too."

"I'm sorry, if we have sex together, do you want it to mean something? I didn't think that either of us was that type of person. It would mean something to me in that I genuinely like you as a person, Naruto. I didn't realize you wanted it to mean something more than that."

"Hm. Maybe it's me that would like it to mean somethin'? That could be why the idea of me bein' part of your first, uh, top experience sorta appeals to me."

"That's sort of strange, you realize that, don't you? That you'd have sex with me just to 'help me out'."

"It's not like I'd do that for _anybody_. I would do it 'cause I trust you, and because I like you, and... I'd know it would be a safe, comfortable experience for you..."

Sasuke actually laughed.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Naruto sat up and turned toward him on the couch.

"I think I would only do it if there was some part of me that truly believed you'd enjoy it."

Naruto frowned. "Didn't you say we could rub up on trees and get excited? I'll just pretend you're a big fuckin' pine tree in that case."

Frustrated, Sasuke sighed and let go of Naruto's hand. He was going to stand up and mention something about taking a shower since all the smoke smell was giving him a headache, but Naruto, for whatever reason, decided to slide over into his lap again. With an expression of determination, he pushed Sasuke into the couch, and then he reached around to grab hold of his hair, forcing Sasuke's head back. The unexpected violence of it caused him to release a gasp.

Naruto shifted forward on his lap, their crotches _almost_ pressed together, and leaned in close to his face. At first, he sucked experimentally at Sasuke's bottom lip as if getting a feel for it, but, with another yank of his hair, the other boy attacked his mouth with all the passion one would expect from Naruto.

He stopped thinking entirely other than he knew he wanted to put his hands on Naruto somewhere. So, he slipped them under the back of his shirt, pushing it up until they were just under his shoulder blades. While they kissed, Naruto tilted his head to the other side, nipping and sucking at his top lip. Sasuke let him do as he pleased, only responding when Naruto seemed to be seeking it, _demanding_ it from him. If Sasuke played passive, it apparently drove Naruto to be more aggressive, as if trying to get him to give in to...letting everything go. But the blond's frustration was so _amusing_ that he couldn't help but simply remain patient only to, at the last minute, return Naruto's kisses with equal fervor. He removed his hands from Naruto's shirt and, taking a firm hold of his hips, forced him to start moving on top of his lap.

It must've had an effect on Naruto because he broke their kiss and tilted his head up, mouth opening in a brief moment of pleasure. Grabbing the front of his shirt, Sasuke pulled him down and began another series of kisses that he took complete control of. Still grinding against him, Naruto wrapped both arms around his neck, and Sasuke no longer needed to guide the movement of his hips.

After a few more wet kisses where it felt like he was swallowing Naruto's tongue, he pushed him away so that he could pay some attention to the boy's neck. He tugged at Naruto's shirt so that he could suck along the curve of his collarbone.

"Don't you dare make me come in my pants, you bastard," Naruto gasped when Sasuke went for a spot on his neck that seemed particularly sensitive.

"Or what?" Sasuke smirked as he sucked on him again. "You'll punish me? How terrible." Because he felt like it, he gave Naruto's ass a smack.

"You did _not_ just - "

Cutting him off, Sasuke cupped his face and, this time, kissed him more slowly, more gently.

Naruto melted into the kiss, murmuring softly as the angles of their kisses changed. On his own, Naruto began to move his hips again, mouth widening to him as their tongues slid under and over - until, in a more playful gesture - Naruto caught the tip of Sasuke's tongue between his teeth. He proceeded to suck it into his mouth. More deep kissing began. With a growl, Naruto snuck a hand under his shirt, and when Sasuke felt his palm rub over a nipple, he grunted into one of their kisses. So, of course, Naruto did it again, but this time, gave it a hard pinch. Sasuke growled at him, but all it earned was an arrogant, sexy smirk in return. It was the first time he'd gotten a good look at Naruto in the last 10 minutes they'd been making out. His hair was a mess, his cheeks were flushed, and he had tiny red marks all over his neck. Fuck it if he didn't want to push him down on the couch and have his wicked way with him.

"Yes...?" Naruto asked in a low voice.

"Just in case. Maybe we should go upstairs?"

"Hm. Maybe you're right. But it was startin' to get really good."

"Tell me about it," he replied. "Be careful as you're getting off my lap."

"Ha. You're hard already?" Naruto wiped his hand across his lips.

Sasuke raised a brow. "You can't tell?"

"Er. I was a bit distracted." Naruto shifted around on his lap. "Oh. Not your wallet or cell phone, eh?"

"Nope." Sasuke placed his hands on Naruto's thighs.

"Alright. I guess I could shower _again_? I don't wanna make your sheets smell like smoke."

"If things continue the way they have, I really don't think it will matter because they'll need to be changed anyway."

"Maybe you could take one with me?" Naruto said sarcastically. "Just like your fantasy."

"Oi, bastard. I was kiddin'."

"You shouldn't joke about a man's fantasies so easily."

"Well, I suppose if you really want... I didn't know we were at that stage."

"No, I suppose we're not, though I don't really believe in 'stages'," he said and, unable to stop himself, took a piece of Naruto's hair and tucked it behind his ear. "It's fine. I'll take one in Itachi's bathroom, and we could always just go to sleep...?"

With reasonable care, Naruto slid off of him and was kind enough not to poke fun at him for the current state of his arousal. He did give a passing glance to the other boy's crotch, but there wasn't anything _obvious_ to be seen yet.

"I'll meet you up in the room afterward, yeah?" Naruto said.

"Sure. I might need a minute."

Naruto chuckled. "Fair enough. Try to get your boner under control, Sasuke." He jogged up the basement stairs, leaving him alone.

Sasuke swiped a hand through his hair. "Jesus."

It took a moment or two for him to put together the pieces of his brain. It's not what he'd expected to happen, especially after all the ups and downs of today, but holy hell, he had absolutely no complaints about it. Other than, he did wonder if this was doing even half of what it was doing to him, to Naruto.

When he was able, he got up from the couch. By the time he went upstairs and into his room to get something to wear, the shower was already going in the bathroom. On his way back out, he did pause by the door, imagining what might happen if he popped in on a naked Naruto - but. As open as Naruto was to, well, kissing, would he really be open to more? Even if he was, was he just doing it for Sasuke's sake?

No matter Naruto's encouragement, it always seemed easier to give into the doubt.

He left it alone and decided to make it a quick shower. After all, if something was to happen, he wouldn't mind starting it before his parents came home.


	13. Chapter 13

Sasuke showered quickly, washing his body and hair, all of which took maybe seven minutes. Once he was done, he slipped on a pair of boxers and some black sweatpants. He wondered if Naruto had any clothes left to wear, but knowing him, he would've stolen whatever he needed out of Sasuke's dresser.

Before heading back to the room, he stopped in the kitchen for a bottle of water, and, leaning against the counter, got lost in his thoughts. Not about anything in particular, just life. Maybe a little about how things had progressed with Naruto. A little about whether Itachi was still pissed off at him. Also, he was curious as to how Deidara found out about Yahiko. Then again, maybe it was best not to know. Perhaps the blond freak show left a camera in the bathroom that night.

While he was standing there, Naruto popped into the doorway - hair damp and droplets falling off the sides of his cheeks. Had he even properly dried himself? He was, and no surprise here, wearing a pair of Sasuke's pajama pants.

"You're getting water all over the floor," Sasuke scolded.

"Hm." Naruto leaned against the frame and crossed his arms. "Felt like I should be quick about it. You were out of towels anyway."

"I'll go get you one." He set his water bottle down, and as he walked past Naruto, the other boy caught him by the wrist.

"I'm surprised."

"About what?"

"You didn't even crack a joke about me bein' wet."

"That's not exactly how it works with boys, you know."

"So," Naruto's eyes gleamed, "How does it work?" He let go of Sasuke's wrist.

"Come here." Sasuke grabbed his hand and led him into the kitchen. "Sit up on the counter."

"But you hate when I sit on the counter," Naruto argued.

Sasuke gave him a look.

"Fine, okay." Naruto hopped up, and Sasuke opened one of the drawers that had all of the dish towels in it.

"This should be good enough for you."

While Naruto sat with an amused expression on his face, Sasuke proceeded to dry his hair for him. He caught the drops behind his ear and the ones falling down his neck and chest. Naruto remained quiet the entire time. Sasuke was too preoccupied with what he was doing to really keep the conversation going. When he finished and looked up, there was hardly any time to react as Naruto grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him.

Sasuke placed a hand on the boy's thigh, gripping at the pajama pants as the kissing intensified. A minute or two went by, and Naruto eventually stopped.

"Don't hold back," he said to Sasuke. "Or is it 'cause you don't trust me yet?"

"I'm not sure if it's you I don't trust or myself. But..." Sasuke placed a kiss to Naruto's jaw. "I'm trying."

"I know." Naruto smiled. "Put your other hand here." He pointed at his other thigh.

"You're very bossy," Sasuke said.

"You don't want to touch me?"

Sasuke immediately put his hand there. "Happy now?"

"In a way, yeah. We're trust building."

"Me groping you is part of a trust building exercise?"

"Apparently." Naruto leaned back on his arms, seeming expectant.

Sasuke didn't particularly like being led like a dog, but he had to admit the reward was worth it, and, no, he couldn't argue that something was still holding him back. Maybe it was fear, maybe it was control. He really wasn't sure, but if Naruto was giving him the opportunity to do as he pleased, like hell he'd pass that up. So, he moved one hand to Naruto's left hip and then the other to his right. When Naruto's smile broadened, he knew he'd done what the other teen expected of him. Didn't Naruto know that if he wanted Sasuke to stop thinking and worrying that it would result in things he might not like? Sure, there was that "ground rule", but did it really mean activities besides kissing were okay?

In theory, he could just ask.

"Naruto."

"Hm?"

"What are you trying to do exactly? You don't want to have sex with me. You're obviously trying to get me to do something, but, really, how far do you want to go?" Sasuke glanced up while placing his hands at Naruto's waist. "Are you still thinking you're helping me out by doing this? I could get experience in other ways."

Naruto frowned. "Another one of your brother's friends?"

"No." Sasuke curbed his temper. "Does this kind of thing even do anything for you?"

"You're not doing anything, are you?"

Sasuke released a heavy sigh, lowering his head again. He let his hands slip away from Naruto and gripped the edge of the counter instead.

"It feels patronizing if you're only doing this for my benefit. Let's just forget about it and go to bed."

"What are you so damn afraid of?" Naruto asked, leaning forward to where Sasuke could press his forehead to the boy's chest. Part of him wanted to. He wanted that comfort, but at the same time, he couldn't seem to allow himself to ask for it.

It was easier earlier, when he'd been so upset about his dad, to allow Naruto to hold him like that, to even enjoy it and the way Naruto was so... protective and concerned. Possessive even. But now... when there were no excuses as to why he'd ask for it?

"Sasuke." Naruto put a hand at the back of his neck, bringing him in so that he had no choice but to rest his forehead on Naruto's chest. "It's fine. We'll go to bed. I think, y'know, you've made a lot of progress today in terms of, uh, talkin' to me about stuff more."

Sasuke snorted.

"I'm not bein' sarcastic. All I've wanted since we met was for you to open up to me. Not 'cause you're some crusade or whatever you called it, but because I _like_ you, and because I like you... I just wanna get to know you."

"Why?" He asked, shaking his head. "What's the point? I'm... this is all I'm capable of, and to someone like you, I know this is frustrating."

"But I'm not frustrated _at_ you," said Naruto. "I'm frustrated... with you?"

Sasuke stepped back and stared at him mockingly. "Really?"

"I'm happy to do what you wanna do. I said I didn't wanna go _all_ the way 'cause I just... well, for one, we just met. I know that sounds stupid 'cause I barely knew the first girl I slept with, but now that I know you, it would mean somethin' and be weird, and then there's the fact that you're a guy, and... I like you, and then I'm scared it might mean somethin' to you, but then I'm also scared it would mean nothin' to you..."

"Naruto," he said, "If we're both worrying about things like this, let's just... leave it. Come on." He squeezed Naruto's knee. "We'll go to bed. We can watch a movie on my computer or listen to music or just stare at each other. Whatever we want to do."

"Yeah?" Naruto grinned widely.

"Yes."

"We can do that if you do one thing I ask without questioning me. You wait for what I say and then make no complaints. You can do it, or if you don't wanna, of course you can say so."

Sasuke was about to open his mouth already, but Naruto's sharp look quickly caused him to snap it shut again. That was a lot to ask of him.

"Very well," Naruto continued. "For now, just stand there, okay?"

Sasuke stood there as he was bid. Naruto reached for his hips and pulled him against the counter, wrapping his legs loosely around him. Sasuke fought not to react in any way.

"Good," Naruto said and wiggled his body closer to Sasuke's. "It's difficult for you to stay still and not say anything, right?"

He wasn't sure whether he was allowed to respond so he simply kept an even gaze with him.

Naruto placed a hand to the side of his face, eyed his lips, and planted a chaste kiss to his mouth. In response, Sasuke closed his eyes, but he didn't kiss back, even as Naruto nipped and sucked at each lip for at least a minute until, at the end, he traced the seam of Sasuke's mouth with his tongue.

A noise erupted from his throat when he could no longer contain it.

Naruto stopped to regard him. "Alright," he said. "Let's go."

He pushed Sasuke out of the way, jumped off the counter, and left the kitchen. Sasuke simply stood there and watched him leave, mouth half open in astonishment and confusion. With a frown, he followed after, flipping the kitchen light off. He chased Naruto down the hallway and into the bedroom.

"What the hell was that about?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto shrugged.

"Is it my turn to play that game?"

"If you want," said Naruto, so casual that he almost wanted to strangle him.

Sasuke shut the bedroom door and locked it while standing in front of it.

"Come here," he ordered, and Naruto walked to him obediently. "Same rules apply."

Naruto said nothing and did nothing other than blink at him.

"However, if I ask you something, you will give me an honest answer."

Sasuke grabbed hold of his arms and spun him around, shoving Naruto against the door. He wasn't gentle about it either and didn't feel like he had to be. Unaffected or pretending to be, Naruto stared at him with a cool, impassive expression. Sasuke studied him before taking hold of his wrists and pinning them up against the door. He pressed his body flush to Naruto's, their hips and naked chests making full contact. Naruto's lips parted, but barely.

"Do you have something to say?" Sasuke asked.

"No." So he said, but Naruto's eyes were bright and assessing.

Sasuke, leaning in so that their cheeks touched, took the boy's earlobe between his teeth and gave it a tug. When he let go, it was to find that sensitive spot on Naruto's neck he'd discovered earlier. As he sucked at it, Naruto whimpered, and once he released his wrists, he pressed a hand firmly to his chest.

"Kiss me," Sasuke said to him.

Automatically, Naruto attempted to move forward, but he pushed him back against the door with his hand.

Sasuke watched his hand as he slid it lower, down to Naruto's stomach. "I find you very attractive, do you know this?"

Naruto didn't answer right away, so he looked up again.

"You have to know, Naruto. Even with all of your inferiority complexes, you _have_ to know I'm _sexually_ attracted to you."

"I think I know," Naruto mumbled. "Because you say you are. I trust that."

"You trust only my words?" Sasuke's hand slipped even lower, and he began to tug at the tied strings on Naruto's pants. "Are you attracted to me in any way?"

"Sometimes, yeah."

Sasuke nodded. "When have those times been?"

Naruto started to bite his lip. "Different times. Depends on how you mean. In a way, I've been attracted to you from the first day, but I'd say... when I went to look for you at the nurse's office, I felt drawn to you more than usual."

"Drawn to me?"

"Like I wanted to get to know you more, like I wanted to spend more time with you."

"When else have you felt attracted to me?"

Naruto sighed. "Let me put it this way. During P.E. that time, when we were competing in that race... it wasn't that I wanted to jump you, but I knew that I got off on havin' your attention."

"You looked up at me that day. When we were in the bleachers, and you were sitting by Sai."

"Oh?" Naruto smirked. "So you remember who I was sittin' by?"

Sasuke glared. "You probably did it to make me jealous."

"I wouldn't use Sai like that, but any opportunity to make you jealous could be fun. You don't get jealous, though. You get mad."

Sasuke thought on this. "Why should I get jealous of Sai when I know you're not interested in him the way you are me?"

Naruto's mouth fell open.

"You aren't, are you?" Sasuke asked and, pulling at the tie, the knot unraveled.

"No."

"Last night, before we got on the bus, did you really want to kiss me?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "I considered it, yeah. But I honestly had no idea how you felt about me at that point, and when you walked away, I knew I was stupid for even havin' thought somethin' like that."

Sasuke laid his hand flat to Naruto's stomach, moving it all the way up until he reached his neck. He brushed it over Naruto's shoulder and dragged his knuckles across the boy's chest, admiring the tightness of his muscles and the darker tone of his skin. It really was so different doing this with someone his age, someone he thought of as an equal.

Goosebumps appeared when he covered Naruto's nipple with the palm of his hand. He dropped his hand by an inch, trapping it between his fingers, and, after turning his gaze on Naruto, pinched it. The boy let out a whine and immediately bit his bottom lip as if to suppress any more noises from coming out.

"The other times," Sasuke said, "The things that have happened between us today. On my bed, upstairs, outside, in the basement... did you enjoy it?"

"I was turned on at points if that's what you mean," Naruto replied slowly and, when Sasuke pinched his nipple again, he closed his eyes while sucking in a harsh breath.

He let go of Naruto's other wrist, and while the boy's eyes remained shut, he leaned down and took the nipple into his mouth, sucking on it. The whimper of surprise Naruto let out was one of the sexiest things he'd ever heard. He sucked it again, caught it between his teeth, and rolled it around using his tongue. By the time he stopped to see the effect it was having on Naruto, his lids looked heavy as he watched Sasuke. Satisfied, he pressed up against him again, bodies perfectly flush. He gripped Naruto's hips, body warm against his skin, and leaning closer, spoke gruffly into his ear.

"Have you ever once thought about me getting you off? You were so interested in my fantasies of you, Naruto. But, do you understand that I really want that with you? If you were at all willing, those are things I would really want with you. To do to you. To have you do to me...?"

"Sasuke," he replied breathlessly, putting a hand on the side of his waist.

"Well?"

"I asked, didn't I?" Naruto answered him. "I asked you what you'd fantasized about 'cause I _did_ wanna know. I didn't believe it at first, but yeah. Yes. I was curious about the kind of things you'd imagine I'd do to you."

"What about the things I could do to you?" Sasuke asked. "You said no sex, but there are other things I could do. With my hand. With my mouth." He reached between Naruto and the door to gently touch the small of his back. "You could be underneath me. Or, you could be _over_ me." He took hold of Naruto's hand and, gripping the fingers, brought one briefly into his mouth. "I'm not restraining myself for my sake. If it was up to me, I'd already have your pants around your ankles and my mouth on your cock. So, we're _done_ with your little tests."

Sasuke gave him a shove that knocked him into the door again and, ignoring the other boy's look of surprise, went to get in on his side of the bed.

"Make yourself useful and turn off the light before you get in bed," he said while pulling back the covers.

Naruto stayed standing with his back to the door. He wasn't looking at Sasuke. He seemed to be lost in thought for a minute before he bounded up to the bed and jumped on top of it. On hands and knees, he crawled to Sasuke over the sheets.

"You, _bastard_!" he cried.

Naruto crawled on top of him, straddled his hips and, taking hold of Sasuke's wrists, pinned them on the bed. With an angry growl, he smashed their lips together and kissed him feverishly. It was all he could do to keep up. They must've kissed for several minutes straight before Naruto sat up, still holding down his wrists.

"What?" Sasuke asked. "Can't take a little of your own medicine?"

Naruto glared. "I was tryin' to make a point, though."

He clucked his tongue in annoyance. "You don't even _know_ what you want, Naruto. From me or for yourself. You're trying to get me to let go, but you aren't even ready for what that means. How can I possibly let go when I have to worry what might push you away?"

Naruto gave an exasperated sigh. "Do you think if you do somethin' I don't like I won't tell you? I told you I wasn't ready for sex, and I'm not even assumin' that would happen, but... I can't help myself when you do shit like that. When you tease me, or upstairs after you played the guitar. Like I ever thought I would be attracted to another guy! But you're so fucking... Grah!" He fell on top of Sasuke, forehead pressed to his chest. "What do I do? This is how I react when you touch me or you say things... which is why I threw down a ground rule 'cause I guess I expect you to know what's best for both of us, which I _know_ isn't fair, but I _trust_ you."

Listening to him, he could tell Naruto was getting upset. He knew that Naruto was a headstrong, emotional sort of person who acted on impulse, which is exactly why Sasuke had made sure to keep a reign on his own emotions and reactions.

"I don't find it unfair," Sasuke said softly and put a hand on top of Naruto's head. "That you have expectations of me."

"Sasuke," whined Naruto.

"What?" He asked, gently running fingers through his hair.

"Sasu_ke_," Naruto whined again.

"What?" He asked again, just as patiently.

Naruto wound his arms around Sasuke's waist and turned his head to the side. "I can hear your heartbeat."

"That's good. I'd be worried if you couldn't."

"Can I make it go faster?"

Sasuke smirked at the ceiling. "You already do."

Naruto laughed. "You're gay."

"Tell me about it."

"Why weren't you born a girl? Then all of this would make sense to me. You as a boy is just confusing."

"That's definitely not fair," he replied and started massaging the back of Naruto's neck. "Don't wish me something I'm not."

"It's not that I want you to be a girl. It's just it would make more sense in my head. I forget sometimes, and then it doesn't even matter to me you have a penis, but then I remember... and it gets complicated. I like you as a person... if you weren't gay, though. Would I feel the same? Would I be doin' this stuff with you?"

Sasuke hummed. "I don't think we need to worry about hypotheticals. It is what it is, right? These are the cards we've been dealt. Obviously I wish you weren't straight, but it doesn't mean it has to impact our friendship."

"Maybe I can be bendy?" Naruto lifted up some.

Sasuke pressed a hand to Naruto's stomach and spread apart his fingers, staring at the spaces between. "I assume you're not referring to your physical flexibility."

He leaned forward. "What if we had a threesome?"

"If you say you, me, and Itachi, I am going to slap you so hard across the face."

Naruto laughed loud and hard, making his heart flutter.

"It could be some chick, you, and me. Maybe it would make for an easier transition."

"You realize I have no interest in women physically. Are you volunteering to be the one between us?"

Naruto's look became thoughtful. "You on me... me on her, hm?"

"Yes," said Sasuke. "Me on you." He bit his lip and moved his hand from Naruto's stomach to his chest.

"To be honest." Naruto leaned down all the way until his elbows were on either side of Sasuke's shoulders. "I don't share well."

"Then I'll leave the two of you alone." He settled a hand on the left side of Naruto's waist, running his thumb along the waistband.

"But I don't like when you leave me alone," Naruto replied. "I like your attention. On me."

"I suppose we've hit an impasse then."

"An impasse, eh? Is that what I felt earlier when we were on the couch?"

Sasuke smirked. "You think you're pretty funny, don't you?"

"Sometimes." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke dug in his nails and scratched up the length of Naruto's back. The other boy opened his mouth, letting out a quiet gasp and shutting his eyes at the slight pain.

"You're so sadistic," Naruto breathed against his chin. "Just like before when you had to shove me against the door."

"You started it with your little S&amp;M game, telling me what I can and can't do, leading me on and then tossing me aside."

He felt teeth graze along the line of his jaw.

"I thought that's how you said you liked it," said Naruto. "You're the one havin' fantasies of me pushin' you against shower walls. You should tell me the kind of things you were thinkin' this afternoon when you sent me out of the room."

"I won't because you want me to keep control of what happens between us when we start talking about these things."

"What's the worst that can happen?" Naruto grinned lazily. "I dryhump you until we both come in your pants?"

"You do make a habit of borrowing my stuff. You still have my gym clothes."

"Maybe I wear them to bed at night because they smell like you."

"Now you're just being a dick," Sasuke remarked and, boldly, moved his hand to Naruto's butt.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, amused. "What are you doin'?"

"Nothing."

"Pretty sure you just grabbed my butt."

"I didn't grab it. My hand's merely resting there. There's so much ample room, after all."

Naruto's eyes gleamed. "You love my ass."

"You think so?"

"Why the hell does talkin' like this to you get me so damn excited?"

"Everyone loves witty banter and insults affectionately given." Sasuke smiled at him.

"You and your stupid smile," Naruto said. "It's... kind of sexy. Not that I've thought about a guy's smile bein' sexy, but yeah. It looks good on you."

"You're paying me a compliment?" He asked.

"I have before."

Sasuke hummed dubiously.

"I have! Pretty sure I've also told you I like your hair." Naruto started to play with it, pulling at some pieces on the side and then, sneaking a hand between the pillow and his head, lifted him up a bit. While he toyed with his hair, Sasuke was busy staring at Naruto's mouth, which was extremely close to his now.

"Naruto," he said.

"Hm?" He looked down at Sasuke, gave pause, and started searching his face for something.

"If you're about to ask me what I'm thinking," Sasuke said, "It's that I'm three seconds away from kissing you some more."

"Or..." Naruto tilted his head. "Ask me to kiss you like you did before."

"You enjoy being told what to do?"

"I _enjoy_ when you ask for something that's easy for me to give you."

"Ah, I see. Your sense of selflessness and giving, hm? If I'm a sadist, perhaps you're a masochist?"

"I'm not into pain exactly," Naruto told him, "But I do enjoy pleasin' people that I like."

"That could be very dangerous. Someone might choose to abuse that some day."

"You wouldn't." Naruto shifted so that he could press his face against Sasuke's neck. "Would you?"

Sasuke began to glide his hands up and down Naruto's sides. "I suppose it depends. If I was a cruel, heartless sort of guy, perhaps I would take advantage of your loyalty to me. I could lord it over you, make you fall for me if I seriously tried to, and then I could betray you and break your heart."

Naruto bit him on the neck, hard enough that he winced.

"Or...," he continued, eyes shutting at the mixture of pain and pleasure he was feeling. "I could come to understand exactly what it means to be cared about by someone like you... even loved, and rather than be afraid of it, I would want you to be part of my life forever."

"When you say that," Naruto's voice was quiet, "I feel there's somethin' I'm missin', like..." He shook his head. "Nevermind."

"If _I_ said 'nevermind' you'd throw a tantrum. Say what you were thinking." Sasuke grabbed his hair and pulled him up so that he could see his face.

"But it sounds dumb. I just feel like it's weird that... talkin' to you about this stuff... that it's so easy? Hm. Maybe we knew each other in a past life?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You believe in that stuff?"

"Don't you? I thought it was an Asian thing."

Sasuke snorted. "You're so racist."

"Hey, you're Japanese and I've totally made out with you. Clearly, I am the opposite of racist. I am _un_racist!"

"Uh huh." Sasuke covered his mouth. "Stop talking, or I'll stay soft indefinitely." He removed his hand. "But, I suppose it's true. That I never imagined being able to talk to someone my age openly about things like this. I say 'my age', and yet I've never spoken to anyone like this."

"Not even Itachi?"

Sasuke brushed Naruto's bangs out of his eyes. "Not even Itachi. Then again, we don't straddle each other on the bed and make out."

"If you did," Naruto waggled his eyebrows. "I might not complain. I'll just pretend Itachi's your hot lesbian sister."

"I... do not even know where to begin with that."

Naruto chuckled.

"Can I ask you something?" Sasuke gazed at him seriously.

Naruto's expression sobered at his tone. "Sure. Anything you want."

"If I asked," he licked his lips. "If I _requested_...to get you off. How would you react?"

Naruto studied him carefully. "Why don't you ask and find out? But I'm surprised you'd ask at all. Wouldn't you just demand it?"

"That would be rude."

"Ah, of course." Naruto pressed a hand to his chest. "Admit it. You just like talkin' dirty."

"If you admit you like being talked dirty to."

Naruto scrunched his nose. "I can't... deny it, I s'pose."

"Because you like it _nasty_." He pulled a face that caused Naruto to roll his eyes.

"I should never tell you these things. You'll just use 'em against me."

"I have things I'd like to use against you, that's for sure."

Naruto sniggered. "So how would you phrase it, Sasuke Uchiha? Let's pretend that I am open to requests and that I'd fulfill all of them 'cause that's the generous kinda guy I am."

"I'm sorry. You lost me when you said 'open' and 'fill all of them'."

"God, I love this side of you. Don't show it to anyone else but me."

"Is that a request?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "It's a demand."

"It's an easy enough one as I had no intention of showing it to anyone else but you."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

Naruto gave him a long look and, suddenly, started to trace his finger around the lines of Sasuke's mouth. When he left his thumb to rest on his bottom lip, Sasuke nipped at the tip and nail before sucking on it.

"See, you can be sexy," Naruto told him in a low voice. "Even though you're a guy, that's really hot."

"Other things with a guy can be really hot," Sasuke replied.

"Did you really enjoy your first time with that guy?" Naruto asked.

The question surprised him. His first reaction was to dissect Naruto's motive for asking, but that was a habit he was trying hard to break.

"If I say yes, will that upset you?"

"No." Naruto shook his head. "I'm just curious."

"I enjoyed it for what it was. It could've gone on longer, I suppose."

Naruto nodded but seemed distracted. "So... it didn't last very long?"

"If we'd been gone for too long. Someone would've noticed."

"Maybe someone did," Naruto replied. "Since Deidara knew."

"Maybe." He felt uneasy to think as much since he thought he'd covered it up all this time.

"Did he do things to you that you asked him for?"

"Naruto..."

"What. I'm curious," he told Sasuke.

"About what I like during sex?"

"Yeah." Naruto bit his lip. "Is that so strange?"

Sasuke felt all sorts of little shocks of pleasure running from his brain to his toes. He thought they even curled. Naruto shifted on top of him, not so much straddling his waist but his hips now.

"Answer me," Naruto urged in a quiet, assertive tone. "Did you ask him to do things to you, or did he just do whatever he wanted?"

"Mostly he did what he wanted, but he had experience with men, so I could tell he knew what he was doing. What would feel good."

"So, you went to him because he had experience with other men?"

"That makes sense, doesn't it?" Sasuke asked. "That I'd approach someone I know has interest in having sex with other men?"

"But you approached me," Naruto said. "Maybe not exactly like that, but... you approached me."

"I tried not to, but you kept coming back, even when I tried to avoid you."

Naruto, and whether it was inadvertent or not, rolled his hips against Sasuke's before lowering himself flat on top of him.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke breathed across his lips, which were now in line with his.

"Getting a feel for what you like," Naruto replied. "The idea of you wantin' somethin' from me without even knowin' why... I like that. Also, that you can't ask for it. And yet, if you asked for it..." He rolled his hips again.

Sasuke bit his lip. Shit. That felt really good. Naruto brought his mouth closer.

"Ask for it, Sasuke," he said in this husky, sexy voice that caused all thoughts to fly from his brain at once. "Ask and I'll give it to you."

Once more, Naruto rocked into him while teasingly brushing his lips across Sasuke's.

"Kiss me," he said.

Naruto kissed him hard while continuing to rub and grind against him. It felt so good that he swore he'd stopped breathing. He had to calm himself, reminding to inhale through his nose when he felt ready to pass out - either from lack of oxygen or pure desire. When they finally parted, it was only so that Naruto could wind his arms underneath Sasuke's to bring their bodies tighter together.

"See what happens when you just ask for what you want?" Naruto said near his ear, breathing harder than before.

"Fuck," Sasuke grunted as Naruto slid over to the side a bit to push a leg between his and rub it against him.

"Heh. At least since we're both guys, it's easy to imagine what feels good, huh?"

Vision turning spotty, he gazed up at Naruto. Was this really Naruto? But, he looked so confident... and sexy. Sasuke felt like a boneless mess underneath him. All he could do was grunt, and when Naruto's thigh hit just the right spot...

Sasuke's head fell against Naruto's shoulder, and he groaned.

Not just any groan, but it came in the sound of Naruto's name.

"Shit that sounds hot," said Naruto. "I hope you aren't expectin' me to stop."

"Like...I could," he gasped and put a hand on Naruto's hip, moving him over so that they could both get some pleasure out of it. "Wait." Sasuke put a hand to Naruto's chest.

"Wait? Are you kiddin' me...?" Naruto nipped the side of his throat.

"Take off your pants," he said, pushing him up so that he could get his own off.

"What?"

"Your pants, idiot. Your pants!"

"You saying 'pants, pants' doesn't make it any more clear."

"Damn it." As soon as Sasuke got his off, he grabbed the waistband of Naruto's and tugged. "You have boxers on, don't you? It's not like I'm asking you to get naked."

"Okay, okay. Jeez." He smacked Sasuke's hands away and started to pull them off. They got stuck on his right foot, so Sasuke impatiently yanked it off the rest of the way and lay back down on the bed.

"Well," he said.

Naruto smirked. "Someone's impatient."

"That same someone is also very horny because you decided to hump him and make out with him for the last ten minutes."

"Oh. Does that mean I could make you beg for it?"

"In your dreams," Sasuke replied and, sitting up for all of five seconds, he grabbed a hold of Naruto's arm and pulled him on top again.

"Are we really gonna do this?" Naruto asked.

"You said if we did that you'd expect to be on top. Am I not being accommodating enough for you?" He placed his hands on either of Naruto's hips.

"Don't rush me," Naruto said. "I do my best work when I get to take my time."

"You mean like all night?" Playfully, Sasuke rocked up into him.

"It's hard to make it last all night when you only take three minutes, Sasuke." Naruto smiled as he, first, kissed one side of Sasuke's neck and then the other. "Wasn't your one complaint about your first time that it didn't last very long?"

"I wouldn't call it a complaint," he murmured as the other boy licked, bit, and kissed at his throat. Sasuke couldn't help but let out a sigh while moving one hand to Naruto's lower back, skimming it up and down along the indent of his spine.

Naruto started to thrust his hips, slower than earlier, and, surprisingly, he wasn't very clumsy when it came to this. He rotated his hips around in a circle every so often, lifted up, and then pushed against him. "How's that feel? Okay?"

Sasuke nodded, lips pursed as he looked at him. He brushed the boy's hair to the side, behind an ear, and then shifted his legs so that the heels of his feet rested on the backs of Naruto's thighs. "Feels...good."

"So, this is how I get you to be quiet, huh?" Naruto began to kiss him, and Sasuke closed his eyes.

He didn't want to admit it, but he was already getting excited. Naruto could probably feel it, too. Not that he couldn't feel Naruto against him. He wasn't hard, but it's not like there was much separating the lower halves of their bodies. It was difficult not to react because he'd... been lusting after Naruto this entire week, and there was something so gratifying that he'd be willing to do this with him. Of course, he wanted Naruto to feel good, too. Sasuke snaked his hands around and grabbed Naruto's butt, putting more effort into finding a rhythm that worked for the both of them.

Between kisses, Naruto grunted and buried his face in Sasuke's neck, breath quickening. The warmth of it, and the wetness of his lips when they touched Sasuke's skin felt so erotic. Suddenly, Naruto grabbed his left leg and pulled it up. He grabbed the other and forced Sasuke's legs to wrap around his waist.

"Sasuke," he said, a hint of humor in his voice. "You get hard so fast."

"Shut up, idiot."

"I can totally feel it."

"I said 'shut up'. If you have time to talk then keep moving."

"Don't get bossy," Naruto replied and punished him by taking his bottom lip between his teeth.

Sasuke growled, tilted his head, and thus began another long series of kisses. He put his arms around Naruto's shoulders, and Naruto started threading fingers through his hair while they kissed and grinded their hips together.

"Do you... want me to do more?" Naruto asked when they broke apart - lips red, swollen, and wet. "I don't mind."

"What about you?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto didn't answer, so Sasuke put a hand to his chest and pushed him up.

"If this... isn't doing anything for you," he told Naruto. "I don't..." Sasuke sighed. "I don't want your pity."

"It's not what you think." Naruto moved one of his arms and used it to raise himself off of Sasuke. "I mean... how I think of sex is different than how you do maybe? I want to be able to please my partner. Like, I'm more interested in gettin' the other person off. Or so I've come to realize."

"The one night you had sex?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I've done other stuff. With other girls. Not many, just a couple. And a whole night of sex can teach you... a surprising amount. Especially when the other person has experience, too."

"I'm not inexperienced, Naruto." He narrowed his eyes at him.

"I'm not sayin' you are, I'm just sayin' I'm used to takin' the lead because, well, for one. That seems to be what girls expect, and because that's... what I like."

"I didn't say you couldn't take the lead. I just said I didn't want you to do this if it's having no effect on you. Then it feels like pity."

"Wow, are you really analyzin' stuff _even_ during this? I should get you off just to get you to relax. Are you sure that guy's dick didn't break off in your ass, 'cause you're a bit uptight..." Naruto grinned lop-sidedly. "No pun intended."

Sasuke removed his legs from around him and glared. "You're... such an asshole."

"You're mad?" Naruto searched him. "Don't be mad. Tell me what you want from me, and I can do that."

"What do you want from _me_? What is it you could possibly get out of this?"

"I dunno," Naruto replied. "And don't hit me for bein' honest here, but I may not know until I do this. I just know I ... kinda really want to. To see what you're like. To be able to give you somethin' that you want..." He settled down on top of Sasuke again. "Maybe somethin' that you need..."

"Something I need?" He asked incredulously.

But, Naruto started sucking at his neck, causing Sasuke's tense expression to soften considerably as the other teen dropped several kisses all over him - neck, collarbone, shoulder, jaw, cheek, and then his lips again. He felt fingertips brush along the lower part of his stomach, near the waistband of his boxers, and when Naruto cupped him, Sasuke reflexively rocked into his hand and groaned.

"See," said Naruto, "How could I not like that?"

With Naruto palming and rubbing him, it wasn't very long before he was almost painfully hard.

"Naruto," he groaned, panting against the side of his neck.

"Yeah?"

Sasuke bit at his lip, eyes shut tightly. "Seriously... if you don't stop..."

Naruto brushed his lips across the side of Sasuke's neck. "Definitely can't... not gonna happen." He gave Sasuke's length one more squeeze and then... he slipped the same hand underneath the waistband of his shorts. His hand stayed just there for only a few seconds before it slid further down, fingers gliding across the side of his erection until Naruto took hold of him.

Sasuke inhaled sharply and barely had time to recover before Naruto stroked him. Slow at first and then he readjusted his grip once or twice. Sinking his teeth into his bottom lip, Sasuke pushed his own hand down there to cover Naruto's to show him what he liked.

"Like that?" Naruto asked, voice low and rough, maybe even urgent.

"Like that," he gasped, feeling the first swipe of Naruto's thumb over the tip of his penis.

"That feels good, too?" Naruto did it again, and Sasuke shuddered underneath him.

"Keep moving it," Sasuke growled at him. "Squeeze when you get right - _shit_ \- there."

Naruto shifted so that he leaned against Sasuke's side, one leg still in between his. He raised himself on an elbow, and every time Sasuke looked up at him, Naruto was staring back. He was struck by the level of intense concentration on his face, and those damn blue eyes, and the way he would bite his bottom lip every so often.

He leaned in, close to Sasuke's ear. "You're gonna come soon, right?"

Sasuke turned his head and caught him in a kiss, jerking his hips quickly into Naruto's fisted hand. Naruto shifted again, to where Sasuke could feel his cock against his thigh, and the instant he realized Naruto was hard, he came in the boy's hand with a loud groan. The pleasure ripped through him, forcing his lips from Naruto's, but Naruto attached his mouth to Sasuke's neck as the final throws of his climax rocked him from head to toe.

He was so out of it afterward. His mind had gone blank, and it felt like he was dreaming. He couldn't even open his eyes, but he could feel the pressure of Naruto's lips on various parts of his upper body. Naruto still held him, but after another minute, he let go and removed his hand from Sasuke's boxers.

It was Naruto's quiet chuckle that caused his eyes to snap open.

"What?" he asked hoarsely.

"We're gonna have to work on your stamina."

"Are you questioning my sexual prowess?"

"No, if anything I should be flattered, I think. That _really_ didn't take long. Hand didn't even cramp up."

Sasuke glared, though it was doubtful it had much impact. "It's probably all that practice you have."

"Could be. So," he held up his hand. "Would it be too soon if I asked you to lick it off?"

"I should push it into your face," Sasuke replied.

"Hey, be a little more grateful. I just gave you an amazing handjob."

"Who said it was amazing?" Sasuke said, though he was teasing. Honestly, it _hadn't_lasted that long, so there wasn't much to praise or criticize.

"I'd say the results are conclusive... and still on my hand. I should go wash it off, or, I can wipe it on your stomach."

"At this point I don't even care," said Sasuke. He covered both eyes with his hands. "Fuck if I didn't need that."

"No kiddin'." Naruto placed another couple of kisses to his throat. "So, um. I may be a little while. 'Cause of all your groaning and sexy faces I may have gotten excited."

Sasuke removed his hands, dropping both arms to the side. "Is that what I feel against my thigh?"

"Heh."

He got up on his elbows, tilting his head. "You don't want me to... get you off?"

"I don't want you to feel like you _have_ to just 'cause I, y'know..."

"I'm gay, Naruto. I don't feel like I _have_ to. I _want_ to, but only if you're comfortable with it."

"Just what... did you have in mind?"

"Throwing you in a cage, maybe, or hogtying you to the ceiling. Jesus. What do you think I have in mind? I could do the same for you, or..."

"Or?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Not that I'd be the first to go down on you, I'm sure..." Sasuke trailed off, eyeing him closely, and from what he could tell, Naruto had no intention of arguing that point. "Although, I don't have much experience with that, so I may not be as good as some of your girlfriends."

"They weren't _girlfriends_. Just... some girls. At a couple of parties."

"At the same time? Is that why you suggested a threesome?"

Naruto smiled widely. "Are you... jealous?"

"No."

"Pretty sure that you are."

"I don't care what some girls did before I ever met you."

"Uh huh." Naruto nodded. "A boy goin' down on me, eh?"

"If it'll turn you off, I can use my hand, or... you can go take care of it on your own."

"But if you gave me a blowjob, I could start you off on the path of becomin' the best homosexual you can be. It'd be like I was levelin' you up."

"Okay, cool," Sasuke said sarcastically. "You go take a shower, and I'm going to bed." He shoved Naruto off of him and rolled to his side, adjusting himself in the process since his penis hadn't exactly decided to stand down yet.

"Let me go wash my hands, and I'll be right back." The bed shifted, and Sasuke thought he was getting up, but then Naruto lay on top of him. He planted a quick kiss to Sasuke's cheek while holding his soiled hand aloft. "I'll be _right_ back, Sasuke. Stop thinkin', or if you're gonna think at all, try to figure out what I might like. If I'm gonna experience my first blowjob from a guy, it better be sexy as hell."

Before Sasuke could even reply, Naruto bounded off the bed.

Without him, the bed felt colder, so he pulled the blankets over him. Yawning, he stared across the way at the bookshelf, noticing a book that was out of place. It happened to be the one Naruto picked up last night. Idiot couldn't even put a book back correctly.

Sasuke gave another yawn, unable to figure out why his eyelids felt so heavy... and just how long was Naruto going to be because...

Shit, he was totally going to fall asleep before he even came back, wasn't he?

* * *

Though he slept soundly through the night, when Sasuke awoke on Sunday morning, he literally felt sick about missing out on something that could've been so big and important. Beside him, Naruto was asleep and lightly snoring. He was also completely uncovered because not only had Sasuke stupidly fallen asleep on him, but he'd also hogged the blankets. The blond teenager was curled up a in a fetal position. Very quietly, Sasuke threw the covers over him, and, for a while, watched him sleep. Naruto really was very attractive; he appeared so relaxed and at peace. No nightmares last night apparently.

Sasuke lay back down and stared at the ceiling, wondering at the missed opportunity. How embarrassing was that? _Thanks, Naruto, for the handjob, and then I practically force you to let me go down on you only to fall asleep before you come back from washing your hand free of my... yeah._

Falling asleep so fast hadn't given him time to reflect on what happened between them. He wanted to pretend they'd both been caught up in the incidents from last night - the fighting and the talking and the making out. Maybe it was bound to happen. Maybe Naruto had still been under the influence of alcohol. What would he do or say when he woke up? Would he hate Sasuke? Would he regret it?

If he truly regretted it, would he have returned to the bed? Then again, maybe Naruto thought he had nowhere else to sleep, or perhaps he'd been concerned that if Sasuke's parents found him downstairs on the couch that they would ask questions.

"Fuck," he muttered, touching both of his temples and trying to massage the thoughts away.

It was odd - or maybe not so much - that the only time he could ever get his brain to _stop_ was... when he got physical with Naruto. Although, thinking about it, it also occurred when they fought, or if they were joking around with each other. Would the tension between them be greater or easier now? Sasuke had got what he wanted, hadn't he? But, he didn't feel satisfied; in fact, he felt even more restless. Part of him longed for more and part of him was afraid to ask for it.

Plus, when his stomach grumbled, he realized it had been a long time since he ate anything. He'd had the ramen yesterday afternoon but without finishing it, and then he'd had one s'more, so he was hungry. Not to mention thirsty.

Sitting up, he looked around the room and noticed a bottled water on the night stand next to Naruto. He pushed back the sheets and got up, walking around to the other side of the bed. The bottle was full - unopened - and there was also a bag of pretzels. It was curious. Why would Naruto get these things and not open them unless... he glanced down at Naruto, frowning at the implication.

"Idiot," he whispered, somehow annoyed because every time Naruto did stupid, thoughtful things it confused the hell out of him.

Grabbing the water and the pretzels, he got into bed again after also picking out a book. There was enough light coming through the window for him to be able to read, so while he drank his water and munched on the pretzels, he waited for Naruto to wake up. Of course, it kept distracting him how domestic a scene this felt, almost as if they were a couple spending a lazy Sunday in bed together. The more he thought about it, the more he pretended it was true, even if it was silly and childish on his part.

He must've read through 40 pages before Naruto rolled over, and when he did, he unknowingly touched Sasuke's leg. He glanced down at him, an eyebrow raised as Naruto cracked open his eyes and looked up at him.

"Hey," he said to Sasuke with a big smile. "You fell asleep on me."

"I know," he said, clapping the book closed. "I'm sorry. Honestly, I feel... embarrassed."

Naruto casually reached into his lap to grab the bag of pretzels. "Don't worry about it. You must've been dead tired. You had a shit afternoon and last night was kinda crazy. Then I thought about how you didn't eat much last night, so I figured if you woke up you'd want something. That and you'd probably be mad at yourself for, y'know..."

Sasuke must've gazed at him for a long time.

"What?" Naruto asked and began to swipe at his hair self-consciously as if that's why Sasuke was staring.

"Nothing," he said and bit at his lip.

"Ah, you're regressin' already? Don't hold back. Want another pretzel?" He held the bag toward him.

"Sure." Sasuke took one but only nibbled at it, eyeing Naruto curiously. "Naruto."

"Hm?" Naruto was chewing loudly.

"Why are you acting so... casual?"

"Huh? How should I be actin'?"

"You do... remember what happened last night, don't you?"

Naruto squinted at him and Sasuke's heart dropped into his stomach because maybe he really had forgotten. That... sucked.

"Why do you always assume that I suffer amnesia every time I go to sleep?" Naruto asked. "Of course I remember. How could I forget? Just like I remember the first night. I mean... I'm fine with it if that's what you're worried about. I did what I wanted to do."

Sasuke quietly chewed the rest of his pretzel. After a minute, he asked, "Are you... relieved?"

"Relieved?" Naruto pulled himself up, back straight against the headboard. "What do you mean?"

"That I fell asleep."

Naruto blinked at him several times. "I... am about to shake you."

"You were only doing it for my benefit, weren't you? I shouldn't have asked that of you..." He glanced away, at the spot where the books leaned at a slant because he'd removed one.

Suddenly, Naruto reached for him, and when Sasuke turned, the other boy cupped his cheek.

"I still like you," he told Sasuke. "I still wanna be your friend. Why do you always jump to the worst conclusions?"

"I don't know."

Naruto sighed. "Will you kiss me?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yeah. I do."

He didn't wait for Sasuke to move and pulled him in instead. It was a soft, closed kiss. More affectionate than he'd expected and so it sent tingles all across his body, awakening a lazy desire. Not one that made him want to jump Naruto, but one that craved something gentler and more meaningful. Obviously he wasn't going to ask to be held or cuddled, but deep down he wanted it. While they kissed a couple more times, Naruto's thumb brushed along the arch of his cheekbone, and when they parted, their foreheads were pressed together.

"Don't worry so much," said Naruto. "It would make me happier if I could ease your worries. Not add to them."

"It's still hard."

"Is that so?" Naruto smirked. "Thought I took care of that last night."

Sasuke pushed him away so that he could get a good look at him. With a frown, he brushed Naruto's bangs to one side and behind an ear.

"Gesture of endearment?" Naruto asked, cracking a grin. "So you're a cuddler, too, eh?"

Sasuke scowled. "I didn't say anything about cuddling, idiot."

"Ah, maybe it's just me then. You didn't seem to mind it yesterday when I was holdin' you."

"That was different," he muttered.

"Oh, really? Hm. I guess so."

"But I suppose if you're desperate I'll spoon you for a few minutes."

"Me? When do I get to do the spoonin'?"

"Do I look like a guy who enjoys being spooned, Naruto?" Sasuke asked arrogantly.

"I dunno what that means. Guys can like to be spooned. I wouldn't mind bein' spooned by a girl or bein' held, so I don't think you need to get your panties in a twist over it."

"I do not wear panties," Sasuke replied, "Nor am I a girl."

"I bet Deidara wears panties sometimes," Naruto commented.

Sasuke shuddered. "Thanks for that image. I'm sure he does on occasion, but as you can tell, though he and I are gay, we're completely different. Not all gay men are effeminate, flamboyant, or whatever other stereotypes of us that exist in the media."

"I know that," Naruto argued. "I wasn't even sayin' anything about that. If anything, what I _like_ about Deidara is how comfortable he is with himself and how he's not afraid to be what he wants or say what he wants. I think it's cool."

Sasuke gazed down as he placed his hands in his lap. "Unlike me, right? In your eyes, you probably admire him more than you do me. How stupid, really. That I could lose to a guy like that."

"Lose?" Naruto scoffed. "God, you are such a head case." He put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Roll over."

"Excuse me?"

"Come on. No questions, just do as I say. Roll over onto your side."

Sasuke glared.

"That's not gonna work on me, Sasuke. You owe me for fallin' asleep."

He opened his mouth to retort.

"No. I don't wanna hear it. Just roll over."

Sasuke's jaw snapped shut. Even while he complied, he glared at Naruto for as long as he could until he was on his left side, staring at the bookshelf. Naruto settled in behind him and placed an arm around his waist. He even pulled the blankets over the both of them. Sasuke could feel his breath at the back of his neck. Naruto's hand rested flat on his stomach, and he felt highly conscious of its presence there.

Almost immediately, because of Naruto's own slower heartbeat and breathing, Sasuke started to relax.

"There you go," Naruto whispered.

"Why are you like this?" He asked.

"Hm." Naruto's nose brushed against the back of his neck. "What do you mean?"

"How do you always know the right things to do... to say... how can you read me so well?"

"...Dunno," Naruto replied, gripping him tighter as he placed a small kiss to his shoulder. "I could say the same thing about you."

"I guess I just... don't understand why none of this is freaking you out."

"Do you really want me to explain it honestly?" Naruto asked, hand traveling from Sasuke's stomach to his chest.

"Preferably. I can't imagine you answering any other way."

"Yeah, but. I've been thinkin' about that, too. Why am I not flippin' out after given another boy a handjob? I s'pose I should be havin' some sort of sexual identity crisis, but I'm not. I feel like... it's just you, and what happens between us... means something but neither of us expects anything to come from it. So in a way, I just... did what I wanted to do. Because I feel comfortable with you, and I trust you, and I feel drawn to you, and... when you want somethin', when you _need_ somethin'... even if you don't know it. I wanna be able to give it to you. I can't explain it any other way... I just do, and if I can, I will."

"How selfless of you," Sasuke mumbled.

"If that's how you wanna see it." Naruto, moving his hand lower, stopped briefly at his stomach, and then, surprising him, let it travel further down until he reached the waistband of his boxers. He slipped a thumb underneath it.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked in a low voice.

"What I want," replied Naruto. "I feel a bit territorial at the moment, so shut up for a second."

Sasuke did go quiet and tried not to squirm every time Naruto's body shifted against his from behind or the fingers brushed across the lower half of his stomach. For one moment that caused his breath to stop, Naruto even let his hand brush across his penis.

Naruto chuckled near his ear. "So sensitive."

"What do you expect when you touch a guy's cock?" He snapped.

"I didn't touch it. I just... lightly grazed over it with my palm. I wonder what I could do to make you last beyond a few minutes. Is that why the other time was so short?"

"It wasn't _that_ short," Sasuke mumbled.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Naruto replied. "And you're right. It didn't feel so short to me."

"Get off me," said Sasuke, shoving his hand away.

Naruto put it right back on his stomach. "No. Besides, I'll be going home today so enjoy it while you can. And will you be sad? Y'know. I wouldn't mind if you came to stay at the apartment sometime this week. If you get bored or whatever. Maybe you have plans, though."

"I'll have to check my schedule," he said. "After all, I'm a busy person."

"I know. You're very popular, Sasuke."

"Don't you want to hang out with Sai this week?"

"Oh God, not this again." Naruto's head hit his shoulder.

"You're going to tell him, aren't you?" Sasuke asked.

"Why would I? Because he's gay? No. It's none of his business. Plus, it kinda feels like maybe I shouldn't..."

"You think he likes you?" Sasuke wanted to turn around in his arms, but he also was struck by the fact he didn't like the idea of competition. Not that he saw Sai as competition, but they were friends, they spent a lot of time together, and Sai was very aggressive when he wanted to be.

"Um, wasn't it you that said that super cocky thing last night?"

"Which time?" He smirked.

Naruto laughed. "Asshole. When you said that..."

"You wet your panties?"

Naruto chuckled again. "Yeah. Somethin' like that."

Sasuke settled back into him, pressing up against Naruto's chest. Naruto quieted and gave him a squeeze.

"This feels nice," the other boy murmured.

"Mm."

"You gonna drive me home?" Naruto asked. "I'd like you to meet my dad."

"If it's what you want I can."

"Is it what you want?" Naruto questioned him in a soft voice, that intimate tone he remembered from yesterday.

"Yes. It's what I want. I'd like to see you home."

"You can come in this time, and I'll show you my room."

"I love rooms," Sasuke replied dryly.

Naruto snorted, which made him smile.

"You're such a sarcastic bastard," Naruto remarked.

"And?"

"And I fuckin' love it."

"Hn. By the way," he said.

"Hm?"

"Thank you for the water and pretzels."

"No problem. Thank you for havin' me over this weekend."

"Thank you for coming."

"That should be my line," said Naruto and then he cackled at his own joke.

Sasuke groaned. "Go back to bed so I don't have to put up with this."

"Nn. But I wanna cuddle some more. I like it as much as the sexy parts."

"It's not horrible," Sasuke replied haughtily.

"If we're gonna be friends with benefits," said Naruto. "You better learn to like it."

"...Is that what we are?"

"Well, I thought it'd be pretty gay if I said we were lovers, and I didn't wanna assume anything 'cause you fell asleep on me and all after promising a blowjob."

"I suppose it would be pretty gay... to refer to us as lovers."

"Yeah. Literally."

Sasuke sighed. "I don't really believe in labels, nor do I feel like all things need to be defined."

"Good. Me neither. Now shut up and let me snuggle some before we have to get up. Oh God."

"What?"

"What if Itachi finds out... and he kills me in my sleep?"

"If it makes you feel any better," Sasuke told him. "I doubt you'd be the first, and I doubt even more that you'd be the last."


	14. Chapter 14

Neither of them went back to sleep. Instead, he and Naruto lay in bed, talking about a bit of everything. Even if Naruto was the one who did most of the talking, Sasuke still enjoyed listening. Every once in a while, Naruto placed random kisses to his shoulder or the back of his neck. It was hard to determine whether or not he realized he was doing it. Sometimes Naruto moved his hand from Sasuke's stomach to his hip or waist. It was... nice. He'd not done this with Yahiko. Sex was good obviously, but waking up in bed together was something else entirely.

"Do you think we should get up at some point?" Naruto asked, again gliding his hand from Sasuke's stomach to his chest.

He wanted to say no, but that was probably impossible.

"I suppose we should. Before someone barges in on us."

"Ah, true. I didn't lock it when I came back in last night."

"I'm sure a locked door would've only raised suspicion."

"On that note," Naruto murmured and removed his arm from around him.

Sasuke rolled over. "What did you expect? One handjob would cause me to come out to my parents?"

"Hey, I didn't say anything." Naruto's brow furrowed.

"You didn't have to." Sasuke reached across and pushed his bangs out of the way. "If I did, though," he teased. "Would you go on a date with me?"

Naruto rubbed his lips together before answering more seriously than he expected, "I'd feel like I should reward you with one if you actually did that, yeah."

"Are you constantly going to reward me for good behavior with various acts of sex and romance?"

"No..." Naruto rolled away from him. "Why do y'have to sound so patronizing?"

"Are you pouting because I doubt your motives?" Sasuke asked, and because he honestly wanted to keep their bubble from bursting for as long as possible, shuffled up behind him. He worked his arm underneath Naruto's so that he could press a hand to his stomach.

"If you mean that you still don't trust me. That does bother me. But, I get it. Eventually I'll wear you down."

"You wore me down last night, I think."

Naruto snorted. "If a handjob is enough to wear you down, I'd hate to know what would happen if we had sex."

Sasuke eyed the boy's shoulder before deciding to bite down on it.

"Ow!" Naruto elbowed him in the ribs. "That hurt."

"If I thought you truly wanted to have sex with me for reasons other than doing what _I_ want, I would do everything I can so that you'd enjoy it." He scratched his nails lightly across Naruto's chest. "What would you do if I really did let go completely and gave you all the pleasure I thought someone like you deserved?"

"Someone like me?" Naruto asked, leaning into him.

"You're not the only one who has a desire to make their partner feel good. If I was to have my way with you," Sasuke brushed his palm over Naruto's left nipple, "You'd be begging for it."

"Maybe so," Naruto replied quietly. "I get the impression you've got a lotta passion locked up inside you. I'm curious as to what that would be like. If I say 'Hey Sasuke, would you mind fuckin' me tonight?'"

"It doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to know how that would go."

Naruto fidgeted. "Stop whisperin' in my ear."

"I'll stop whispering if you say that again."

"Say what again?"

"That part about me fucking you."

Naruto chuckled. "You dirty bastard. Would that do it for you? But with your, uh,_sensitivity_, I'd hate to make you come in your shorts just from sayin' dirty things to you."

"Tch." Sasuke flicked his nipple. "You've become too sure of yourself, Uzumaki."

"Heh. I can say it, but if I do, you better be prepared to handle it."

"Try me." He returned his hand to Naruto's stomach.

"Sasuke," Naruto spoke in a low, husky voice. "What do you think about fuckin' me?"

Wrapping an arm around Naruto's chest, he pressed himself closer. "I think you'd look really good under me."

"Is that 'cause I always look good?" Naruto murmured.

"You do always look good. To me. I've told you before how attracted I am to you." He could feel the way Naruto's heart began to beat faster. "Don't tell me this is turning you on?"

"Shut up."

"If you don't want it on all fours, just how should we do it, do you think?" Sasuke's hand skirted the length of Naruto's torso and stopped at the waistband of his underwear. "Maybe I could get you on your back, lay on top of you, and the first time I'm inside of you, I can watch the expression on your face as I start to fuck you." He slipped several fingers under his boxers, not doing anything other than touching skin, though he could feel the coarse pubic hairs beneath his fingertips.

"Who taught you to talk like that?" Naruto's voice came out hoarse.

Sasuke smirked while pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "Maybe I simply enjoy exploiting your weaknesses."

"Can I ask you somethin' straight out?"

"Sure."

"Do you _want_ to have sex with me? Like, _really_? And if you did, would you want anything more with me after that? Would you be satisfied? Could you move on?"

Sighing, Sasuke removed his hand from Naruto's boxers and let his head fall against the teen's shoulder. "Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"...I'm not sure anymore. If I slept with you, I might not be able to separate things in my head."

"What kind of things?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Do you really want to hear the answer to this?"

Naruto nodded. "Of course I do."

"For example, I might fall in love with you. I might want to date you. I might feel inclined to let everyone know that they need to keep their hands off." He smirked. "Especially your little red-headed girlfriend in homeroom. Unless, of course, she's the one you had in mind for a threesome."

"I didn't have anyone in mind for that, Sasuke," Naruto muttered. "How I feel about gay sex... I dunno. I would if you asked me. I could even see somethin' happenin' down the road where I may wanna do things to you, and when you said it the way you did last night about a threesome - "

"About me being on you while you're on her?"

"Yeah."

"I suppose the idea of a threesome can be erotic."

"But I got more excited about the part where _you're_ on me than me doin' some chick I don't know."

Holding his breath, Sasuke temporarily ignored the thrill that confession gave him in favor of placating Naruto's worries. "Maybe it's not as threatening to you if you're doing that to a woman while I'm fucking you." He still had his forehead pressed to Naruto's shoulder as he put a hand on the side of his waist.

"Stop sayin' fuck, dammit," Naruto mumbled, "It's very distracting."

He started to play with the waistband of Naruto's boxers, folding it over so that it revealed more of his hip. "You telling me not to say it only makes me want to say it more."

"Yeah, 'cause you're a pervert."

"So what if I am?"

With a rustle of the sheets, Naruto turned over and placed his hands underneath his head on the pillow.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked when he kept staring.

"It's just that I don't wanna hurt you, and I don't think I will, but, Sasuke, my mom only died a few months ago. I get pissed off a lot about stuff, and I don't want you to feel like you always have to clean up my messes. Like you did this past week when I got into that fight."

"So it's okay for you to go as far as you want for me but I'm not allowed to be there for you? A little hypocritical, don't you think?"

Rather than argue, Naruto simply offered a sad smile. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize, idiot," he said softly and cupped his cheek.

"Hug me?"

Without hesitation, Sasuke pulled him in and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. While Naruto remained in his arms, Sasuke began to rub and scratch his back until it felt like he'd become less tense.

"See," said Naruto, his face tucked into the side of Sasuke's neck, "Guys can like bein' held, too."

Sasuke kissed the top of his head. "What time do you want me to take you home today?"

"Whenever's good for you. You could always stay for dinner."

"We'll see. Itachi leaves tomorrow."

"Ah, right. Forgot. You probably wanna spend his last night here with him, huh?"

"We have the entire week," he said. "I can take you around the city again. We could even go to a club if you wanted."

"I wanna see you play some time."

"But then you might _really_ fall in love with me."

Naruto wound both of his arms around him, hands settling on the small of his back. "I do enjoy it when you play guitar."

"I know. I remember." He smiled and almost wanted to tease him, but Naruto sounded vulnerable.

"Alright, I may be ready to get up if you are. Do you think Itachi's home yet?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why? Do you want to say goodbye before you go home?"

"Uh, yeah. I like him. It'd be rude not to say goodbye, right?"

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you see him one last time. I'll text him to see where he is."

"Do you think he'd give me his number if I asked for it?"

Sasuke pushed Naruto back so that he could look at him. "Just what are you going to do if you get it?"

Naruto shrugged. "Dunno. We could call or text or whatever. The usual things you do with phones."

"You and _I_ have barely spoken on the phone."

"Yeah, but I also gave you a handjob, so I kinda feel like we've already crossed that line? I'm not interested in your brother, bastard. At least not like that."

Sasuke continued to scowl.

"You get so jealous." Naruto laughed. "It's your brother of all people, Sasuke. He's about as likely to betray you as, well..."

"You?"

Naruto smiled crookedly. "Yeah."

Sasuke studied him briefly before leaning in and kissing him on the lips. He took hold of the sides of his face as he did it - kissing him gently and thoroughly, pretending that, just for a moment, Naruto belonged to him, that they were together, and he had a right to kiss him as he pleased. Naruto never complained or pushed him away. Rather, the more intense the kissing became, the more Naruto returned his passion.

Five minutes later and Sasuke was pulling Naruto out of bed by the hand.

"I'll make you breakfast," Sasuke told him.

"You might be safest makin' cereal," Naruto commented.

"I can at least do eggs and bacon."

"I'm sure you can do anything you put your mind to." Naruto gave a chuckle.

"Maybe you'd like to walk home?"

"Er. I mean. Thanks for makin' me breakfast."

"That's what I thought." He only let go of Naruto's hand when he had to open the door. "Also, let me give you one piece of advice."

"Huh? What's that?"

"Itachi can smell fear, so try not to hint that anything may have happened between us."

"What?" Naruto paused by the doorway; Sasuke went on ahead of him. "Hey, wait! Sasuke, don't let him hurt me! I'm too young to die!"

* * *

As promised, Sasuke made breakfast, and since it was already 10.30, his parents were out doing yard work. Naruto kept hovering, making him so nervous that he finally had to tell him to hop up on the counter and stay still.

"What is it with you and tellin' me to get on the counter?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke flipped the few pieces of bacon he had frying in the pan. He didn't bother answering.

"So what time did Itachi say he was comin' home?"

"If you ask me one more time about Itachi, I'm going to punch you."

"Tch, whatever. I could take you."

"You don't even fight fair." Sasuke looked at him over his shoulder. "You're the one who sucker punched me last night."

"You can hardly even tell, and I totally held back."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the frying pan. He grabbed two of the eggs and cracked them on the edge of the counter before watching them plop into the oil.

"Your parents must really like workin' in the yard, huh?" Naruto asked.

"Someone has to do it," he replied. "Normally they'd have me help, but I suppose since you're over they let us sleep in. Not to mention since you love to suck up to my mother so much, you had us helping her mulch yesterday."

"But I _like_ that kind of stuff, _and_ I like your mom. She's really nice. She's also easy to talk to, and she has a pretty good sense of humor."

"Well then. Why don't you marry her?"

"Well, for starters," said Naruto. "I think your dad would have a problem with that and also, y'know, after last night, it would be a bit weird, don't y'think?"

"I didn't realize you would take my comment so seriously. Hand me those plates?"

"Sure." Naruto slid off the counter and brought him the plates. "Want me to make some toast? I like to dip it in the yolk."

"If you want," he said. "Toaster's in there." Blindly, he pointed in the general direction.

Sasuke flipped both of their eggs, giving them another minute to cook before he used the spatula to set them on their plates. He picked out a few bacon strips for himself and left the rest to cook a little longer since Naruto expressed that he enjoyed them crispy. In the meantime, he got out some orange juice from the refrigerator and poured them both a glass.

"I dunno what your mom's talkin' about. I don't think you're a bad cook. Everything looks edible so far."

"Why am I not finding you charming this morning?" Sasuke asked as he picked out some silverware for them. The toast popped up, and Naruto, with several exclamations that "it's hot" managed to get them onto the plates without dropping anything on the floor.

They carried their breakfast into the dining room. Sasuke sat at the head of the table and Naruto at the corner next to him. The both of them fell into an easy conversation about school and when Naruto's baseball practices would start (the middle of next month).

"You've never had any interest in baseball?" Naruto asked. "It'd be fun if both of us could be on the same team. I won't have a whole lotta free time to hang out."

"Who said I was interested in hanging out with you?"

"Jerk. You're probably busy with all that student council stuff, huh?"

"I suppose. We'll be working on prom, although most of it is already organized."

"Sophomores get to go?"

"They can. We're not restricted by grade here."

"Er, so what are you gonna do then? Are you going?"

"I... hadn't really thought about it to be honest," he answered.

"What did you do last year?" Naruto dipped his toast into his egg, smearing it all over his plate.

"I went with a girl. I'm not even going to assume you expect me to ask you."

"Well, if I did, that's a pretty lousy way of askin' someone. Whether or not we go_together_," Naruto drew his leg up onto the chair and hugged it to his chest, "We'd probably go with a group, maybe?"

"You're free to do what you want," Sasuke said stiffly. "You don't owe me anything."

"Did I say that?" Naruto picked up a slice of bacon. "All I said after you made it clear that you weren't gonna ask me was that we should at least go together in some capacity."

"In some capacity?" He repeated, a small sneer curling the corner of his mouth.

"Okay, stay home. Or go out. Forget I brought it up."

Sasuke watched for a while before sighing. "Sorry," he said. "It's just that things like school dances are not exactly enjoyable activities for me."

"You didn't have fun last year?"

"It was alright, but extremely... awkward."

"Why? Did your date try to kiss you?"

Sasuke glanced away.

"She did, didn't she! Ha, sucks for her. Did you kiss her back or what?"

"What did you tell me before? 'I don't kiss and tell'? Well, neither do I."

"Not entirely true," replied Naruto. "Since you told me about Yahiko. Are you gonna eat that?"

Without waiting for his response, Naruto reached over and grabbed the last piece of bacon off of his plate. Sasuke shook his head.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"If you're still hungry, there's ramen left in the refrigerator. Or, if you want, I'm sure mom wouldn't mind if you took it home and shared it with your dad."

Naruto made a face.

"Is it really that bad between you and your father?" Sasuke asked.

"Nah. I suppose not. I mean, compared to your dad, well... it's complicated." The piece of bacon he'd been eating, Naruto set aside as if he'd lost his appetite. "I guess you'll find out pretty soon, huh?"

"I can't say too much against him. After all, he did let you stay here this weekend."

"Hmph. Are you two best friends now?"

"Naruto," he said, frowning. "You're acting childish."

That shut Naruto up quickly. He sat there, staring at his plate instead of looking at Sasuke. He wasn't especially good at apologizing, and because he really did believe Naruto was acting childish, it was unlikely he'd take back what he said.

"If you're finished," he told Naruto. "I'll take your plate."

"Do what you want."

Sasuke got up, grabbing his plate and Naruto's. He left Naruto's glass since he hadn't finished his juice. Figuring that it would be alright to leave Naruto alone for a while, he walked into the kitchen to rinse off the dishes and pans and put them into the dishwasher. By the time he returned to the dining room, Naruto had disappeared. Sasuke checked the bedroom first, but he wasn't there. He either went outside or was downstairs, so Sasuke checked the basement first and found Naruto on the couch with the guitar in his lap.

"We forgot to put this away when your brother brought it in last night," Naruto said, strumming all the strings at once. "I don't get this thing. How can you make it sound so good but when I try it, it sounds so awful?"

"Maybe because I know how to play notes and chords and one or two songs."

"No need to _brag_ about it," Naruto replied, but he was smiling. "Maybe you could teach me sometime."

"I'm not sure if even Itachi would have the patience for that." Sasuke smirked.

"I don't wanna learn from Itachi, I wanna learn from you."

"That makes more sense since my brother doesn't play guitar. Although, I have this feeling that if he so much as tried, he'd be better than me within an hour of practicing."

"Probably." Naruto glanced up at him, smiling even wider now.

Sasuke glared (but with affection). "Here. I'll show you." He sat on the couch. "Sit between my legs."

Naruto gave him a suspicious look. "Is this about playin' the guitar or are you hittin' on me?"

"You should only be so lucky," he replied. "Sit."

Naruto stood and Sasuke leaned all the way back against the couch so Naruto wouldn't have to literally sit on his lap. He helped Naruto place the guitar on his legs, and, wrapping his arms around him, position his fingers on the fret board to form the first chord. "Now, you take your right hand and place your finger on the top string. Pluck it."

Naruto plucked it, and it formed a solid sound.

"A," said Sasuke, repositioning his fingers. "Now try it again."

Naruto did as he was told.

"B," he said.

They went all the way to G.

"The hardest part is learning the chords, and it just takes practice. Your fingers eventually get used to where they need to be. If you're really interested in it, I could definitely teach you."

Naruto hummed and, for a moment, leaned back into him. "I wonder if that would be a good idea."

Sasuke chuckled. "If you're going to be easily distracted, maybe it's not such a good idea for someone like you."

"Someone like me?"

"With such a short attention span."

"True. I never knew I had a thing for musicians," Naruto said. "I mean, I do like that chick from Paramore, but not necessarily for her skill."

"Hn. But you like me for my skills?"

"They impress me, yeah. And annoy me, too. You're like my rival slash friend-thing."

"Good thing we decided not to refer to ourselves as lovers, too."

"Heh, yeah. Good thing." Naruto turned to him, scratching the side of his neck. "Play somethin' for me?"

"What do you want me to play?"

"Duh. House of the Rising Sun."

"Why, 'duh'?"

"Because it's one of my favorites," he said. "My mom used to like it, too, and she would sing with it when it came on the radio."

"It's one of the first songs I learned coincidentally enough."

"Do I have to move in order for you to play it?" Naruto asked.

"Nope. You stay right where you are." Sasuke settled his chin on Naruto's shoulder as he began to play.

The song itself was very simple to play, with simple chords, starting from A minor and moving into C, D, F, and back to A minor for the intro. Naruto didn't seem all that interested in an explanation so much as simply listening to the music. Eventually, he started to hum - mouth close to the other boy's ear as Naruto relaxed into his arms even further. Sasuke rocked from side to side, tapping his bare foot on the carpet.

"You'll sing a little bit?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Why don't you sing?" He continued to play through the verse.

"'Cause I like your voice. You sound like a real rock star."

"I'm not a rock star," he replied.

"Please?"

It would've been pretty hard to deny him when Naruto asked for something and also when he did it so sincerely.

So, Sasuke sang for him. "Oh mother, tell your children. Not to do what I have done. Spend your lives in sin and misery. In the house of the Rising Sun." He lifted his head off of Naruto's shoulder, quietly singing near his ear. "Well, I got one foot on the platform, and the other foot on the train. I'm goin' back to New Orleans. To wear that ball and chain." Sasuke strummed through the chords until he hit the last chorus, singing more loudly. "Well, there is a house in New Orleans, they call the Rising Sun. And it's been the ruin of many poor boy, and God I know I'm one."

When he finished playing, he took the guitar off of Naruto's lap and set it to the side. Naruto wasn't saying anything. Sasuke waited a minute before he had this feeling that he should put his arms around him.

"You okay?" He asked.

Naruto nodded and then cleared his throat. "I really do love that song."

"Me, too."

"Maybe I should learn to play somethin', and we'll start a band."

"Technically I already have a band," Sasuke said. "Or, people I play with regularly."

"I'll play the triangle."

"Why don't you play the keytar?"

Naruto laughed, his body shaking in Sasuke's arms.

"You have the weirdest sense of humor," Naruto told him.

"Do I?" Sasuke mused, tilting his head to the side. He removed his arms from around the other boy and gave him a push.

Naruto got to his feet and stretched. "I didn't say it was a bad thing, no need to go pushin' me around."

"There's always a need to push you around," he said.

"Tch. I'm... a bit sad, I think."

Sasuke got to his feet, watching Naruto as he folded his arms behind his head. "Why's that?"

"Dunno. Just have this feelin' that once I go back home, it's gonna be lonely."

"I told you we can hang out anytime this week."

"Mah. Once you drop me off, you'll forget, and I won't hear from you 'til we're at school in another week."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You really think I'd forget something like this weekend?"

Naruto shrugged, which irritated him, so Sasuke shoved him in the shoulder, knocking him off balance.

"What was that for?" Naruto cried.

"You've offended me. So I'm going upstairs." He grabbed the guitar with the intention of putting it away.

Naruto caught up to him as he neared the top of the stairs, but in the middle of him whining at Sasuke, the front door opened. Sasuke stopped, and Naruto nearly ran right into him since he hadn't been paying attention.

"Good morning," Itachi said to them, eyeing the both of them suspiciously.

"Hi, Itachi!" Naruto jumped out from behind him. "How was the city? Did you guys have a good time? I'm glad I got to see you before you left. I was just sayin' to Sasuke that - "

Sasuke clapped a hand over his mouth to stop his ramblings. "I told you not to act suspicious, idiot."

"Naruto," Itachi said slowly, taking a few steps toward them.

Sasuke removed his hand from the other boy's mouth.

"Uh... yes?" Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"Are you wearing my brother's underwear?" Itachi asked.

"Er..."

"He ran out of clothes, Itachi. It's not that big of a deal," said Sasuke.

Itachi glanced from him to Naruto again. "You and I," he told Naruto. "Should have a little talk. In my room. Now."

"Um. I dunno if that's a good idea." Naruto tried to take a few steps back but it only led him to bump into Sasuke. "Sasuke, help me."

"Itachi, don't be ridiculous," Sasuke said and grabbed for Naruto's wrist.

"Are you saying he didn't violate you in any way?" Itachi asked.

"Violate?" Naruto grumbled. "Shouldn't you be more worried about that guy violatin'_me_?"

"So you're saying something did happen between the two of you last night while I was away? After I entrusted Sasuke into your care?"

"Uhh... w-what? I would never - "

Itachi narrowed his eyes and, grabbing hold of Naruto by the hand, pulled him out of Sasuke's grasp in order to drag him toward the bedroom. The door closed behind them, and he heard the distinct sound of it locking. He figured that at this point Naruto could handle himself.

Probably.

* * *

If anything could be said about Itachi Uchiha, it was that he had a very dark sense of humor, which Sasuke only became accustomed to over time (read: the extent of his childhood). He knew that his brother was simply giving Naruto a hard time, but he hoped that Itachi wouldn't push it too far.

After he put the guitar away, Sasuke went into the bathroom to wash his face and hands before getting dressed. He put on a pair of old jeans with some rips and holes in them and also a faded NOFX shirt. However, Sasuke began to worry when he'd had enough time to actually style his hair in the mirror without Naruto ever returning from Itachi's room. As soon as he found the belt with the studs he'd been looking for and slid it on, he decided to go see if Naruto was in need of saving.

He wandered to the other end of the hallway and heard the sound of Naruto's laughter. After knocking on the door, Naruto was the one who opened it. He stared at Sasuke.

"What?" He snapped, feeling irritated that the two of them spent all this time goofing around with each other.

Naruto bit his lip and, apparently forgetting himself, began to reach for his hair. Sasuke smacked his hand away.

"Er... You look..."

Sasuke didn't bother waiting for him to finish his sentence and walked in. He saw his brother lying on one side of the bed. The other side was rumpled so he figured Naruto'd been lying there.

"Are you two secretly having an affair I should know about?" He asked.

"Why?" Itachi asked. "Would that make you jealous?"

Naruto gave a snort before taking a flying leap onto the mattress where he sprawled out on his side of the queen-sized bed.

"Chill out, Sasuke. Your brother and I were just havin' a chat about stuff. Man to man, y'know."

"You look dressed up," said Itachi, "Going anywhere special?"

"I think he looks good," Naruto commented. "Do you have a gig or somethin' tonight?"

"Why are the both of you so concerned with what I'm wearing?" he asked. "No one says 'gig' anymore, idiot."

"Hmph."

"Sasuke, you shouldn't be so mean to a house guest."

"Why do you care?" Sasuke asked.

"Because I've grown rather fond of Naruto in the brief time that we've known each other. I even gave him my number so that we can keep in contact. That way he can let me know what's going on in your life."

Naruto sat up against the headboard and crossed his arms to his chest, smirking at him.

"I see how it is," Sasuke told them. "I'll leave the two of you alone then."

He turned around, about to head out the door, when there was a loud thud behind him as Naruto jumped to the floor. He caught Sasuke by the wrist.

"It was just a joke, Sasuke," he muttered. "Come show me how to do my hair like yours, and then I'll say goodbye to your parents, and you can take me home, okay?"

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay and hang out with my brother?"

"You're so annoying." Naruto, instead of holding onto his wrist, grabbed for his hand. He led the way to Sasuke's bedroom.

Sasuke shut the door halfway as Naruto started going through the contents of his backpack, apparently searching for something to wear. He threw a pair of already worn jeans and a t-shirt onto the bed.

Naruto looked like he was about to take off his boxers when he remembered Sasuke's presence. He glanced at him over his shoulder.

"Do you want me to turn around?" Sasuke asked, highly amused.

"That's up to you. I'm not bothered either way. We're both guys, so it's nothin' you haven't seen before."

"Yeah, but I haven't seen _yours_."

Smirking, Naruto walked over to him and, putting a hand on Sasuke's chest, pushed him toward the door until it shut behind him.

"Surely you've at least fantasized about it," said Naruto. "Once or twice."

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm not as infatuated with your penis as you seem to think."

"Sounds like somethin' Sai would say."

"Now that you've brought up that name, I'm even less interested."

"Here, how about you take them off for me?" Naruto asked

"_Fine_."

Even though he was glaring, he placed his hands on Naruto's waist at first before sliding them to his hips.

"You're really annoying, you know that?" Sasuke said to him.

"Here, will this help?" Naruto covered his eyes. "Now you won't be able to see anything and your purity can remain intact."

Sasuke sighed. "Naruto..."

"Take 'em off, Sasuke." Naruto dropped his voice as he spoke next to his ear.

Slipping his fingers under the waistband, he dragged the boxers lower, feeling Naruto's warm skin under his fingertips. When he had to crouch on the floor to get them the rest of the way off, Naruto kept his hand over his eyes until he was able to step out of them.

"You could've just kept those on," said Sasuke.

"Yeah, but I figured you'd like them as a souvenir. Keep your eyes closed for a sec." Naruto helped him up and made sure he stayed standing against the door.

He fought the urge not to peek.

"Alright," said Naruto.

While Naruto finished getting into his jeans, Sasuke opened his eyes and caught the tiniest glimpse of the top of Naruto's butt, which for some reason, didn't show any tan lines. Then again, maybe Naruto was the type to sunbathe in the nude for all he knew. Because he couldn't help himself, he went over as Naruto was picking up his shirt.

"Stop teasing me already," Sasuke murmured, wrapping his arms around the boy's waist.

"Tease?" Naruto replied, allowing himself to be held. "I was totally willin' to give you the full view but you went all shy on me."

"Hm." Letting go, he gave Naruto a shove that sent him forward on the bed. Sasuke crawled behind him while Naruto remained on hands and knees. He grasped his hips and dragged him backward across the sheets. Reaching underneath, he also pressed a hand to Naruto's stomach and lay over top of him.

"What are you doin'?" Naruto asked.

"Giving you a friendly hug?"

"Uh huh."

"I won't try anything. Since I know how much you don't like this position." He allowed his hand to travel further south, where it briefly skirted the length of Naruto's thigh and then up again. Sasuke purposely avoided touching anything else.

"Get up a second," Naruto said.

Sasuke got off of him, watching as Naruto flipped onto his back and, grabbing hold of his belt, brought Sasuke down on top of him. He caught himself on the other boy's shoulders.

"Thought you might like to be on top," Naruto said.

"I was already on top, idiot."

"True, but now I can see your face."

"Is that really so important?"

"It is to me," Naruto answered, smiling at him. "You really do look good today."

"I don't look good every day?" He settled more comfortably between Naruto's legs.

"You look alright." Naruto smirked. "What about me?"

"Considering you're half-naked underneath me right now, I'd say you look very good. Although, I liked it better when you were in my underwear."

Naruto chuckled, throwing both arms around his neck. "Do you think I'm sexy?"

"...Yes," he said. "Very much so."

Licking his lips, Naruto shifted underneath him. "Really?"

"I won't repeat myself." Tilting his head, he placed a kiss to the side of Naruto's neck. He kissed him a few more times, sucked, and, moving his lips lower so that it might not show if he did it too hard, bit him below his collar bone.

Growling, Naruto gripped of the back of his belt and forced Sasuke to rock his hips. As they started to grind against each other, Sasuke returned to kissing and sucking at Naruto's throat.

"Fuck. Unfair," Naruto muttered. "I didn't get off last night."

Sasuke slid his way up to Naruto's lips. "Should I get you off now?"

"We didn't lock the door."

"I don't care," he breathed against Naruto's mouth.

"You acted like you did earlier."

"If it means I can finally get you off, I really don't fucking care if someone walks in on us, Naruto."

But Naruto put a hand to his chest. "Sasuke."

"If you don't want me to, just say so," he said accusingly, searching the other boy's face. Naruto's cheeks were flushed and he clearly looked torn.

"I don't want you to... do anything that you'll regret."

Frustrated, Sasuke got off of him and rolled to the other side of the bed. He could hear Naruto's heavy breathing.

"Are you mad?" Naruto asked after some time.

"A little," he answered.

"I just have a feelin' that now isn't the right time."

"So you're psychic now?"

"Sasuke," said Naruto. "Don't be a dick." The bed creaked as he slid up behind him, lifted his hair, and tenderly kissed the back of his neck.

It was the first time he really hated the idea of Naruto returning home. What would things be like for them afterward? Would Naruto go home and realize that hanging out with him meant he was going to constantly be the object of Sasuke's desires? Maybe Naruto would feel relief in being left alone.

"As soon as you get dressed," said Sasuke, "I'll take you home."

"I don't wanna go home if it's just 'cause you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you, idiot."

"Then what?"

"It's nothing."

"It's not 'nothing'."

"You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you," he said bitterly.

"I might." Naruto put an arm around him, but Sasuke knocked it away and got off of the bed.

"Let me know when you're ready. I'll leave so you can get dressed."

"Sasuke, dammit, don't start thinkin' weird things in your head - "

That's as much as he heard before he left the room and decided to have a talk with his brother.

* * *

When he went inside his brother's bedroom (the door was half open), he found Itachi lying in bed, one arm covering his eyes.

"Sasuke," he said. "Would you mind bringing over my glasses?"

"I hate when you do that," Sasuke muttered. "How did you even hear me come in?"

"I have my ways." He held out his hand, and Sasuke gave him the glasses.

"Are your eyes hurting again?" Sasuke asked.

"A little," Itachi answered. "Do you also have things you'd like to talk about with me? Why don't you lie down next to me like your friend did."

"Naruto asked you questions?"

"After I teased him for a while. I started with a lecture about safe sex and how it's safest if he doesn't have sex with you."

Sasuke chuckled despite himself as he crawled into the bed. He thought the pillow smelled like Naruto.

"He didn't tell you anything, did he?" Sasuke asked.

"Of course not." Itachi, putting his glasses on, looked over at him. "Did something happen?"

Sasuke squinted at him, debating whether he should own up to it.

Instead he replied, "The reason you left us alone was to give us privacy, wasn't it?"

"I thought you both might be able to work out your issues if you had time to yourselves."

"I'm not so sure we worked out our issues," he said. "Maybe we only made things more complicated."

"What makes you say that?" Itachi asked. "Naruto didn't seem bothered earlier. In fact, he didn't seem any different than usual so, frankly, I wasn't even sure anything happened, but hearing you now, I presume something did."

"Not a lot happened, but enough to cause a whole new tension, I think."

"You're both too young to be overthinking these things. Naruto doesn't seem the type, so it must be you. Worrying. Because that's what you do, Sasuke. If I thought Naruto was a person you couldn't trust, then I wouldn't have left you alone with him."

Sasuke blinked at his brother. "I'm not afraid of Naruto."

"Then what are you afraid of?"

Sasuke glanced at the ceiling. What was he afraid of? Deep down, he wasn't afraid of Naruto intentionally hurting him in any way. In fact, he knew that was the last thing the other boy would want or try to do. So, what was his hang up?

"I don't know," he said quietly. "It feels like tomorrow I may wake up... and everything that's happened between us will turn out to be a dream."

"That seems highly unlikely. What happened in your childhood to make you this paranoid?"

Sasuke glared at him. "Probably all the annoying pranks you used to play on me. Some of them were _not_ all that funny."

"I apologize. I didn't realize you were so traumatized."

Itachi rolled to his side, looked at Sasuke, and then reached over to press two fingers against his forehead. Without even poking him like he normally would, he put his hand on top of Sasuke's head and ruffled his hair.

"Don't rush Naruto. You shouldn't rush yourself either. If you're both smart about it, you'll become best friends, people who are extremely important to each other, and maybe in time, something more. So long as you always try to understand where the other is coming from, _because_," he touched Sasuke's cheek, "You both have similar intentions. Different methodologies, but... you two really are very similar."

"You really like him, don't you?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, I do."

He glared. "You two better not send each other inappropriate texts."

"Really, Sasuke? Do you think Naruto's my type?"

"I've never seen you with a girl that was in any way like Naruto."

"Maybe I'll have to change my type." He pat Sasuke's cheek before rolling to his back again. "Before you take him home, make sure he says goodbye to me, or I'll be very angry."

"I suppose I should see if he's ready. I told him I'd drive him home as soon as he got dressed."

"You're driving him home?" Itachi asked.

"He said he wanted me to."

"If you don't want to, then I would be happy to drive him home."

As Sasuke sat up, he scowled at his brother. "I said I would, so I'm going to."

"You know. Maybe you two need to do more than what you did last night. You seem... very tense."

"Shut up and mind your own business," he said, walking out of the room to check on Naruto.

When he returned to his bedroom, Naruto was dressed with his backpack all ready to go. He was playing on his phone. Sasuke thought he looked unhappy.

"Naruto," he said.

Naruto didn't even look up from his phone. "I'm ready if you are."

"Listen..." he sighed as he approached the bed. "About before... I'm..."

Naruto glanced up at him.

"...Sorry," he finished.

"It's fine. You're probably irritated 'cause we've spent the last few days glued to each other."

"That's not it. Don't put words in my mouth."

"You always do it to me," Naruto argued. "You're always jumpin' to the worst conclusions and assumin' the worst and never trustin' me."

"That's not..." He stood in front of Naruto. "That's not true at all. Well, at least the part about me not trusting you." Sasuke slipped his hands into his pockets. "I'm apologizing to you. Are you going to accept it or not?"

"I'll accept it," Naruto mumbled.

"Well, are you ready?"

"Not really, but I guess I should go back home."

Sasuke lightly nudged Naruto's foot with his own. "Shall I ask you to stay forever then? You can live in Itachi's room."

"Hmm..." Naruto looked as though he was actually considering it.

"I was kidding. I thought that would be obvious."

"Yeah, I know, but... I like the idea. A lot."

"I'm sure your father might take issue with that." Sasuke removed one of his hands from his pocket and used it to brush Naruto's hair to the side.

"You didn't even fix my hair for me," said Naruto.

"It doesn't need to be fixed. I'm a bit jealous, really. That your hair looks good even after waking up in bed."

Naruto smiled at the compliment. "Heh. You think I'm hot."

"You're okay. Now, get up, and we'll say goodbye to my parents and Itachi." He held out a hand.

Naruto took it, and Sasuke pulled him to his feet.

"I'm gonna kiss you now, just so y'know," Naruto said, and with his thumb skimming over Sasuke's, he leaned in to kiss him.

For all its briefness, there was an audible smacking noise as Naruto paid equal attention to bottom and top lip, sucking on both, drawing out the contact.

"What was that for?" Sasuke asked afterward.

"Just because," Naruto replied with a shrug. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm impulsive."

"You mean repulsive?" Sasuke smirked.

"Ha ha, very funny." He let go of Sasuke's hand and picked up his backpack. "Shall we?"

Sasuke was reminded of last night when Naruto had said the same thing before kissing him because of that dare.

"One more time, and then I swear we're going." Sasuke grabbed him by the back of the neck, pulled him in, and kissed Naruto deeply.

Frankly, he was going to miss being able to kiss this idiot whenever he felt like it; in fact, he'd really enjoyed having Naruto around these past few days. Being able to talk to him, whether they were fighting or yelling at each other, or whether they were being intimate and gentle - having the ability to express all those things with another person made him feel like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He felt grateful and wanted to show it somehow.

"...What was that for?" Naruto asked when they drew apart.

"Just because," Sasuke answered. "Your impulsiveness must be rubbing off on me, and, no, don't make a dumb comment about me saying 'rubbing off'."

"I wasn't gonna make such an immature joke." Naruto smiled.

Sasuke smiled back and, for the last time, took hold of a piece of wayward blond hair and tucked it behind the other boy's ear. "Let's get you home."


	15. Final Chapter

While Sasuke reversed his mother's car out of the garage, his family was saying goodbye to Naruto for the last time. He got out of the car and saw his father shake Naruto's hand, and then he turned to Mikoto. She gave Naruto a long hug. By the time he walked up to them, the other boy had moved on to Itachi.

"Don't forget to call me should you get bored with my brother's company," Itachi told him.

Naruto grinned. "I doubt that will happen, so can I call you anyway?"

Itachi glanced at Sasuke first. "I think that's also acceptable. I'd love to hear from you."

"Alright then," said Naruto. "Have a safe trip back. Maybe I'll see y'again sometime soon?"

"I'm sure I'll be back this summer. You're always welcome to make a visit with Sasuke. You can keep him out of trouble."

"Heh." Naruto scratched the back of his neck. "Er. I'll try my best." He sort of thrust himself at Itachi, hugging the older man.

Itachi looked surprised, but he quickly returned the embrace, patting Naruto on the back.

"Bye then," Naruto said, giving the family a wave. "Thanks again for havin' me."

"Bye, son," said Fugaku. "Give your father our regards."

"Bye, dear," said Mikoto. "Feel free to stay over anytime you want."

Sasuke, taking Naruto's backpack from him, opened the back door and dropped it on the seat. Naruto got in on the passenger's side; Sasuke got in, too, and handed Naruto his sunglasses.

"You always forget these."

"Ah, yeah. Sorry. Thanks for rememberin'."

Naruto put them on and waved one last time to his parents and brother. Sasuke put his arm around the back of Naruto's seat as he reversed into the turnaround.

"What did my mother say to you?" Sasuke asked as they drove onto the main road that led to the interstate.

"Just stuff," he replied, staring out the window.

"Are you okay with me driving you all the way? It'll be about 30 minutes."

"I should be fine." He turned to look at Sasuke. "Thanks for askin'."

"So, what are you going to do once you get home?"

"Dunno. Play video games?

"Sounds exciting," he said dryly.

"I'd ask you to stay, but you already said y'wanna hang out with Itachi."

"I can stay for a while if you really want me to and it's alright with your dad."

"He'll probably go into the office anyway," Naruto replied. "I swear all he does is work. Even on the weekends."

"Is there that much to be done on a Sunday?"

Naruto shrugged and went back to staring out the window. "Dunno."

Sasuke turned on the radio, and once they were on the highway, Naruto asked him what he was up to tomorrow.

"After Itachi leaves, I'm not sure. Father's going into work and mom has the day off. I'll probably go to the gym. Why?"

"Just wonderin'."

"Did you want to do something tomorrow?"

"Nah. It's okay. You sound busy. I'll probably walk around or go see a movie."

"Naruto," he said, switching into one of the other lanes. "You have my number. Whenever you want, you can give me a call."

"M'kay."

"I don't need to pull over, do I?" He asked.

"Why would you do that?" Naruto removed his glasses to look at him.

"You're not being very talkative, so I thought maybe you were getting anxious."

"I don't always have to be super talkative. Maybe I'm just thinkin' about stuff."

"Alright," he replied. "I only wanted to make sure."

For the rest of the drive, they spoke only occasionally, but Naruto came around again as they approached town, reminding him of when they'd taken the bus on Friday and he'd had all kinds of questions. Sasuke drove by a few places on the way that he thought Naruto might find interesting. Eventually, they found themselves circling the block near Naruto's apartment, searching for an open parking spot.

"Sorry. We only have the one parking space in the garage."

"It's alright. I don't mind parking on the street."

"Drivin' around in big cities makes me all nervous. I've got bad road rage."

"Really? I find it relaxing."

A white car pulled out of one of the spots, so Sasuke quickly claimed it.

"Ah, you're good at parallel parkin'," Naruto said to him. "I'm impressed."

"It's a helpful skill when you live around here." When he stepped out of the car, he opened the back door and got out Naruto's bag. They'd dropped Naruto off that one day, but it's not like he'd gone in or anything.

"I can take that," Naruto told him.

"I don't mind. Just lead the way. I don't know where I'm going."

The day was nice, and the sun was out. A lot of people were walking on the sidewalk. Naruto and his father lived just outside downtown center, in a residential area where there were several parks and cafes. They walked side by side, close enough that their arms bumped. They passed a couple of girls who looked to be about their age. He expected Naruto to turn his head and gawk, but he didn't.

"They were totally checkin' you out, Sasuke."

Sasuke glanced at him. "What makes you think they weren't checking you out?"

"Because you purposely had to style your hair that way and dress like a rocker. Tryin' to show me up in my own neighborhood. I look like a total slob in comparison."

Sasuke smirked. "I think you look hot. The less you do to your hair, the better it looks."

"Heh. You're just sayin' that."

"Hardly."

They came to the entrance of the apartment building, which was a nice, modern complex. There was an older man at the door who knew Naruto by name. He greeted them and exchanged a few comments with Naruto about the weather.

"Ah, my key. It's in my backpack." Without warning, he spun Sasuke around and started digging through one of the pockets. "Here they are. C'mon."

Naruto caught hold of his wrist as he unlocked the door and then dragged him into the lobby, his sneakers squeaking on the shiny black tiles. There were some tall potted plants on either side of the entrance to where two elevators were located. Naruto pushed the button, quietly humming as they waited. He still held onto Sasuke's wrist.

"Are you going to hold onto me the entire way up?" Sasuke asked.

"Huh? Oh." He noticed and immediately let go. "Sorry. Must be a habit now."

"Mhmm." He smirked. "Because you're so pushy."

"Shut up."

The elevator doors opened, and they went inside. Naruto hit the button for the seventh floor. There were fourteen altogether. They didn't have far to walk since Naruto lived in 703. He used his keys to get in and once inside, left the door open for him.

"Shoes," Naruto said, smirking.

Sasuke glared.

"I'm kiddin'. We're not very strict around here."

Sasuke removed his anyway and placed them beside a larger pair that he assumed belonged to Naruto's father.

"Dad!" Naruto yelled. "I'm back, and we have company just so y'know!"

"That was right in my ear, idiot."

Naruto ignored him. "C'mon, I'll show you around. Not that there's much to see."

The entranceway led to an updated kitchen on the left. The whole apartment was an open design with a dining room and living room, all of which Naruto pointed out despite their obviousness. He brought Sasuke to the wide windows and sliding doors that led to a small balcony, where there was a grill, a table and four chairs, and a few potted plants with tiny purple buds beginning to sprout.

"We used to grill at our old house a lot, but we don't do it so much here."

"I'm sure it's been too cold to do much grilling anyway," said Sasuke.

"I guess. Plus it rains here all the damn time. I dunno where Dad is; maybe he's in the shower. I'll show you my room."

Following him, Sasuke noted several framed family photos as they went down another short hallway off the kitchen. There were two bedrooms, an office, and a bathroom.

"Ah, maybe he's not here. I texted him earlier and said we were comin' home."

"Maybe he's doing some errands," Sasuke suggested.

"Maybe. Well, this is my room." Naruto opened the only closed door to a room that was surprisingly neat. "Dad made me clean it before he'd let me come over to your house. He still treats me like a kid."

Sasuke wanted to comment about that, but was too distracted by all of the... stuff. Although it was clean, there were lots of _things_. Naruto's bedroom was about as big as his, but the bed seemed smaller - a full instead of a queen. The walls were a pale blue-grey, and there were pictures everywhere, all taped to the walls. There was a small, mounted flatscreen and a couple of gaming consoles with several games stacked up beside them. He wanted to go through those, but he was drawn to all the mismatched frames on Naruto's dresser. Curiosity getting the better of him, he went to look at them and was immediately struck by one of Naruto, an older blond man and a beautiful young woman with long, red hair. Naruto was a lot younger, maybe about 5 or 6.

"My parents," Naruto said, walking up next to him. "That's my mom. Isn't she pretty?"

"Very," he replied. "You obviously ended up with your father's hair, though. May I?"

"Sure."

Sasuke picked up that particular picture. His parents were holding Naruto's hands, and they were swinging him between them at a place that looked like a carnival. After studying it for a long while, he, gently, set it back on the dresser. Sometimes he picked up other photos (there were at least 10) and studied them. In the meantime, Naruto flopped down on his bed.

"It's weird havin' you in my room," Naruto said.

"Why's that?" He asked, setting down another photo.

"I'm not sure."

Sasuke turned to him, hands in his jean pockets. "Because this is the place where you secretly fantasized about me this week?"

Naruto chuckled. "Maybe that's it."

He walked by Naruto's desk, where there were several trophies and ribbons from various little league and junior varsity baseball tournaments. There were some other general athletic awards and more photos. There was a photo of Naruto in a skullcap, standing next to another boy with auburn hair. Naruto had an arm around him and was trying to look tough.

"Is this Gaara?" He asked.

"Oh, that one? Yeah. It's when he and I went up to Wisconsin to do some snowboarding."

"You snowboard?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, a bit. Do you?"

"I've done it a few times."

"Right, your mom said you guys go on a lot of ski vacations. We should go some time."

"We should if your baseball schedule permits it."

Sasuke walked to the side of the bed that Naruto wasn't occupying and, with a sigh, fell on top of the lumpy comforter.

"Tired?" Naruto asked.

"A little."

"Havin' you in my bed feels dangerous."

"Why's that?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Just because."

"Is this you being territorial?"

"Could be. It's probably 'cause those girls were checkin' you out."

"Naruto," he said. "I wouldn't be interested in them even if they were checking me out."

"So you admit they were checkin' you out!" Naruto pointed at him, but Sasuke slapped his finger away.

"It's not polite to point, idiot."

Naruto rolled onto his side, propping his head in his hand. He hesitated at first, but then, looking more confident, set his hand on Sasuke's stomach.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked him.

"Nothing." Naruto moved his hand and started playing with his belt buckle. "I like this belt. It looks like you could really hurt someone with it."

"I'm sorry, did you want me to take it off so that I can hit you with it?"

Naruto laughed. "Is that somethin' you're into, Sasuke?"

"I could be if it was with the right person." He smirked.

"Kinky bastard."

"Like you're not? You who has a penchant for dirty talk and mind games."

Biting his lip, Naruto returned his hand to Sasuke's stomach. "I guess I just have an open mind when it comes to sex."

"No kidding," Sasuke blurted.

Naruto looked at him in surprise before laughing again. "I suppose doin' stuff with you fits into that category, too, huh?"

"Maybe so."

Naruto sighed. "I really didn't invite you in here so that I could keep makin' out with you."

"No? That's too bad. Maybe I should go home then." Sasuke started to get up, but Naruto grabbed for his hand and pulled him back on the bed.

"No."

Sasuke was on his knees, beside Naruto, still holding his hand. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want you to."

"Why should I do what you say?"

"You don't want to go either."

"No?" He asked. "You know what I want?"

"Not always," Naruto answered. "But some of the time, yeah."

Sasuke stared at him before he let his gaze travel to where the other boy's shirt had ridden up, revealing part of his stomach and a blond trail of hair that stopped short of his belly-button.

"Could you be more obvious?" Naruto laughed and gave him a hard tug that caused him to fall forward on all fours.

"Must you always be so rough?" Sasuke asked, and when Naruto let go of his hand, he pushed Naruto's shirt further up, leaned down, and kissed his stomach. He started above the waistband of his jeans and went as far as his navel before crawling the rest of the way on top of him.

"You were the one talkin' about hittin' me with your belt," Naruto murmured.

"You do strike me as someone who needs more discipline."

"Oh ho, and you're the one who should give it to me?"

Sasuke leaned closer. "I _should_ give it to you."

"Okay," Naruto said, spreading his arms out across the bed. "Give it to me, Sasuke."

"Not if you're going to be facetious."

"That's too big of a word for me to be it," Naruto replied.

"Playing dumb might work on other people, but it doesn't work on me."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Dunno what you're talkin' about."

There was a knock on the door, and Sasuke automatically moved off of him.

"_Really_?" Naruto asked, sitting up and giving him a glare. "You're such a pussy."

"Naruto, are you in there?"

Naruto slid off of the bed and opened the door. "Hey, Dad."

"I went to the grocery store to get a few things for dinner." He peeked inside the room. "Is that Sasuke?"

"Yep," Naruto said curtly. "He dropped me off. I asked him to stay for a bit."

Sasuke got off of the bed, trying to straighten his shirt as he walked up to the older man who looked so much like Naruto. He was extremely attractive. Though his eyes were also blue, they were nowhere near as intense and bright as Naruto's, but if this is how Naruto was going to look when he got older, Sasuke definitely had no complaints.

"Hello," Sasuke said. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Of course not," he said, holding out his hand. "Sasuke, it's nice to meet you, I'm Minato. Naruto's mentioned you several times this past week. I should thank you for making the first week an easy transition for him. Except that one incident." He gave Naruto a disappointed look.

"That wasn't entirely Naruto's fault," said Sasuke as he shook Minato's hand.

"Still, we try not to resort to violence to solve our problems in this family. Naruto's developed quite a temper lately, so I think his emotions get the best of him sometimes."

"You don't have to talk about me like I'm not here," Naruto muttered.

"Well, considering you had similar problems at your old school before we left, I thought you might've wanted to start with a clean slate."

"Seriously?" Naruto snapped. "You're gonna bring this up now?"

"Naruto," Sasuke said softly.

"Whatever. I'm gonna use the bathroom." He brushed past his father, went into the bathroom, and slammed the door.

Sasuke was left with Minato, who sighed as he scratched the back of his head.

"I have to apologize for my son," he told Sasuke. "We're still going through an adjustment period, I guess. I hope he hasn't been too much of a bother. It seems everything I say to him is wrong these days."

"He hasn't been a bother," Sasuke said. "My parents enjoyed having him over. He's welcome anytime."

"Is that so? Well, that's good to hear." Minato smiled at him, but he looked tired and a little sad. "Can I get you anything to drink? Will you be staying for dinner?"

"I'm not staying too long. My brother's home for spring break, but he's leaving early tomorrow."

"I see. Do you not get to see him very often then?"

"Not especially," Sasuke answered, running a hand through his hair. "He goes to Stanford, so it's a long drive. I visit him occasionally."

"Stanford, hm?" Minato nodded. "He must be very intelligent. Naruto tells me you're student council president?"

"Yes, but it's not especially difficult or time-consuming."

"I wish Naruto was that ambitious. I knew your principal in my younger days. We were lucky he accepted Naruto into the school and even offered him that baseball scholarship."

"Naruto seems excited to start playing," he commented.

"I think he needs something to distract him. It's been... a tough few months to say the least."

"I'm sure. I was very sorry to hear about Naruto's mom."

Minato gave him another one of those anxious smiles. "It's tough. I feel like there are things that only a mother can do when it comes to her son. Especially at this age."

By then, Naruto returned to the room, not looking any happier. With a scowl, he sat heavily on the foot of the bed, almost like a kid about to throw a tantrum.

"Are you goin' into the office today?" Naruto asked (and in Sasuke's opinion, he was especially snotty about it).

"I might have to go in for an hour or two, but I'll be back in time to make dinner."

"Y'don't have to. I'm used to makin' dinner by myself now."

Sasuke, to put it bluntly, was disappointed by Naruto's behavior, and had his father not been there, he would've let him know it. He understood Naruto was angry, but couldn't he see that his father was unhappy, too?

"Sasuke, it was nice to meet you. Thanks again for all you've done. If you'd like anything to drink, I bought some bottled water and Coke at the store."

"Okay, thank you very much," Sasuke said. "It was nice to meet you, too."

"Naruto, I'll be back in an hour or two."

"Cool," was all he said.

Sasuke waited until he heard Naruto's father leave the apartment before shutting the door.

"I'm disappointed," he said.

"No kiddin'," Naruto complained. "It's annoying how he's always naggin' me about shit. He didn't even ask me how my weekend was or if I had fun. He jumps straight into the shit about school and how I'm such a troublemaker and how I was a troublemaker back at home. It's, like, give me a fuckin' break."

"You're one to talk," Sasuke replied.

He walked to the bed, stood in front of Naruto, and when the boy looked up, Sasuke smacked him upside the head.

"Ow, what the hell was that for?" Naruto cried.

"I've never seen you act like such a child. So you're unhappy? So you're angry? Do you really think the best thing to do is to take it out on your father?"

"I'm sorry," Naruto glared. "Would you rather me repress my feelings in order to make him happy like you do with your dad?"

Instead of punching him in the face like he deserved, Sasuke grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to his feet.

"I just think it's shit that you've lost your mom and this is how you treat your remaining parent," Sasuke said angrily. "You lost your mother, but he's lost his_wife_. It's the first time I'm meeting him, and even I can tell he's hurting, but you only give him a hard time."

"You're pushing it," Naruto warned. "I told you not to talk about my mother so easily. What do you know, huh? You have both of your parents and your brother, and you all live happily together, and you're resigned to keep your one big secret to yourself because you're afraid your dad will reject you. And you're giving me advice on how I should handle _my_ family?"

"It didn't stop you from trying to push your views on me the entire weekend. You always want people to do what _you_ think is right for them, but you're such a hypocrite. Honestly, I'm surprised, and I'm very _embarrassed_ for you because anyone else would have sympathy for your dad considering he just lost the woman that he loved."

"Fuck off, Sasuke," Naruto spat, pushing him away. "The situation is totally different, and you'll never understand what it feels like to lose a parent when you're young. It feels like a fuckin' _hole's_ been punched in my chest, and it's never, ever gonna heal. I think about her every second of every day, and I have to live knowin' that she's not gonna be around for all the important events in my life, and the one person I have left just works himself to death 'cause he doesn't wanna deal with the fact that my mom is dead and he has a fuck up like me for a son!"

Sasuke, looking at him, could tell Naruto was hurt, that he was angry and confused and sad, and... he had every right to be. Plus, he wasn't wrong about Sasuke being unable to understand. He had both his parents. He had Itachi.

Naruto sniffled and wiped at his eye. "Asshole. Comin' to my house and makin' me feel bad." He collapsed on top of the bed again, throwing an arm over his eyes.

"Naruto..." Sighing, Sasuke sat next to him on the foot of the bed. "I just think that if I ever lost my parents, and all I had left was Itachi, I would beat the shit out of anyone who tried to hurt him."

"I'm not sayin' I wouldn't hurt anyone who messed with my dad, but it's shit from before you don't know about. How mom died, and... it's hard not to blame him for a lot of stuff. And, yeah, maybe it's 'cause he's the only one left, and even if I _do_have times when I'm mad at mom for dyin', it's not like I can go yell at her about it, can I?"

"No," he said. "I suppose it's easier to take that anger out on your father."

"It's not like I wanna be this way. Of course I know it's fucked up that I get on your case about that shit when I have my own problems with Dad, but... I'm not ready to forgive him yet. If that's even what's the problem. I dunno. Fuck."

Sasuke lay beside him on the bed. "You know, Naruto. When you get pissed off about this stuff, I don't mind if you talk to me about it. Your dad may not be able to beat you up when you act like an asshat, but I'm sure as hell not afraid to give you a punch in the face, just like I know you're not afraid to do the same to me."

"Heh. And, did you just call me an asshat?" Naruto, turning his head, started biting at his lip. There was a lingering tear caught in his eyelashes, so Sasuke reached over to catch it between his fingertips.

"I hope that despite what's gone on between us this weekend, you'll realize..." He cleared his throat, "I do consider us friends. You can talk to me about anything you want."

"Oh God, I must be really bad if even you wanna play therapist."

Sasuke glared. "I'm trying to help. Sorry if I'm awkward at it since I'm not used to having friends that I genuinely care about."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"What?" Sasuke barked.

Naruto shook his head. "Nothin'. Now I'm _really_ glad I gave you that handjob."

Sasuke shook his head. "You're such a fucking idiot."

"Yeah, sucks for you. Remember that time that you were all 'Hey Naruto, I'm gonna give you a blowjob when you get back' and then you fell asleep on me?"

"I would never do such a thing. I'm far too cool to do something like that."

"Uh huh."

Sasuke grabbed for his hand, holding it between them on the bed.

"So what do you want to do now?" He asked.

"What time do you have to be back?"

Sasuke checked his watch. "I can hang out for a while. It's only 2."

"Good." Naruto smiled at him.

"You know, there's a Starbuck's around the corner from here. How about I buy you something, we'll come back here for a while, and then I'll take off?"

"I'm kinda hungry, maybe we can get a sandwich, too?"

"Sure," said Sasuke.

"I really like this deli that's only a couple blocks away. They have really good pickles."

"Sounds fine to me. You get up first, though. I'm too comfortable to move."

"But I'm comfortable, too." Naruto lifted their joined hands and started prodding him.

"Maybe we should stay here and lay in bed together."

"Maybe we should, but you promised me Starbuck's and a sandwich."

"Did I promise the sandwich, too?" Sasuke asked, smiling at him.

"It can be like a date," said Naruto. "For metaphorically knockin' some sense into me."

"Metaphorically or figuratively?"

"Stop bein' a nerd for a second and accept that I'm tryin' to thank you."

"Alright." He sat up, gazing down at Naruto. "Let's go then."

Naruto sat up next to him, grinning sheepishly. He looked uncharacteristically shy, and as his face grew red, he abruptly leaned over and kissed Sasuke on the cheek.

Sasuke blinked at him afterward. "That was...?"

"It was nothin'." Naruto got to his feet and stretched, shirt riding up again.

"Cocktease," Sasuke muttered and pulled it down again for him.

Naruto winked. "You know you like it, Uchiha."

Sasuke also stood, and with Naruto looking at him like that, he couldn't help but plant a chaste kiss on his lips before leading the way out of the bedroom.

As he opened the door, Naruto called after him, "Dammit, Sasuke. If you're gonna be gay with me, at least use a little more tongue!"

* * *

Starbuck's was annoyingly crowded, even for a Sunday afternoon. There weren't any open tables that he could see, and it's not as if someone with extra chairs was going to ask if they'd like to share. He wasn't particularly fond of coffee, so he picked out some overpriced fruit drink. Naruto, who took longer than him to decide, asked for a Java Chip frappucino. True to his word, Sasuke paid for the both of them, and since there was nowhere to sit, they opted to go to the deli to get Naruto's sandwich and, afterward, eat at one of the nearby parks.

At the deli, there was a Ukrainian man with a thick accent who knew Naruto by the sandwich he always ordered. While Naruto picked one that was filled with meat, Sasuke found the one veggie option.

"Ah, give him a pickle," Naruto said to the man. "I told him they were really good here."

"Our pickle is very good, young man," he said to Sasuke. "Very good."

Sasuke glared at Naruto, but he accepted the pickle, nonetheless. It definitely had a strong garlic-aroma.

The man, while scratching his beard, took Sasuke's cash and stuck all their food in a paper bag.

"I see you next week," the man said to Naruto. "You bring your father."

"Sure thing," Naruto said and, taking hold of the bag, led the way out. "Hey, if you don't want your pickle, I'll be happy to eat it."

"I don't think so," he replied. "My pickle is very good, Naruto. Very good."

"Hey, that's racist!" Naruto laughed. "Plus, you sound Italian."

"I do not." He felt oddly offended about that.

"Hm." Naruto, who'd nearly sucked down all of his frappucino already, tossed it into the next trash can they passed. "So, shall we go eat in the park?"

"We shall." Sasuke nodded. "Just so we're clear, if you're going to eat that entire pickle, there will be no kissing. It wreaks of garlic."

"But if you have some, too, you won't even notice. Besides, didn't your veggie thing come with onions?"

"Nope."

"Oh. Well. I guess there will be no makin' out in the park then. Or, I guess I can save it for later, huh?"

Sasuke grinned at him. "Whatever you want, Naruto."

They walked to the closest park, which was only a playground with a few benches and a couple of picnic tables. They decided on a bench underneath one of the larger trees. There were several kids playing on the equipment, squealing and making all kinds of noises.

"Kids are cute, huh?" Naruto asked as he took his first large bit of his corn beef sandwich.

"It's debatable," Sasuke replied, starting in on his own.

"I bet you were a cute kid." Naruto smiled at him. "I bet you were _adorable_."

"I'm sure I was as annoying as any other child."

"What are you gonna do when your gay boyfriend wants to have kids?"

"Considering I'm in high school, I would think it'd be odd for my _gay_ boyfriend to want to have children."

"Well, you do have a thing for older men," Naruto said, nudging him in the side with an elbow.

"That older man can go have kids with his girlfriend then." Irritated, Sasuke picked up his juice from earlier and took a sip, watching a woman in her late 20's pushing a stroller across the sidewalk.

"I'd like to have kids some day." Naruto, looking thoughtful. "Obviously not now, 'cause that would sorta suck, but one day. Far in the future."

"You can't even clean your room without being told, and you're already considering being a father?"

"In the future, I said." Naruto scowled. "I'd be a good dad, so shut your pie hole, Sasuke."

Sasuke sniggered. "What is a pie hole anyway? Who came up with that expression?"

"No idea." Naruto wiped his hand across his mouth. "Is it like a donut hole, but with a pie?"

"Maybe it's like that game at carnivals, where you stick your face in a hole, and someone throws a pie at you," he suggested. "And when you're done for the day and don't want to be hit with pies anymore, you shut your pie hole."

Naruto stopped eating and stared at him for a long time.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"I can't decide if that is the _stupidest_ thing I've ever heard or the most brilliant," Naruto told him.

"It does sound stupid, but perhaps your idiocy is contagious."

"Idiocy isn't contagious," Naruto said. "You know what's contagious?"

"AIDS?" Sasuke suggested.

Naruto laughed. "That's terrible."

"You're terrible for laughing at it."

"Reminds me of somethin' your brother said to me today."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "My brother said something to you about AIDS today?"

"No, shut up. Well, I guess technically. I mean, he did mention stuff about condoms, but I could tell he was messin' with me. Although, I do think a part of him was serious. Maybe he thought we were gonna start goin' at it like rabbits."

"What is it with you and all these metaphors today?" Sasuke asked.

"I dunno. They make it easier to explain stuff, right?"

"In simple ways, yes," he agreed. "Now I see why you use them."

"How did we even get started talkin' about this?"

"I forget."

"Do you think you might play anywhere this week?"

"Play?" He asked, even though he knew what Naruto meant.

"Yeah, music. I wanna go if you do."

"I wasn't planning on it, but the next time I do, I'll try to remember to tell you about it."

"Lame. You're totally not gonna tell me. Would it be weird if I came and watched?"

"I'm sorry, you lost me after you said 'I came'."

"But I also watched, too." Naruto grinned. "Don't talk about that stuff, you'll make me horny."

"If this is reverse psychology, it sounds like a win-win for me."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You never miss an opportunity to hit on me, do you?"

Finishing his sandwich, Sasuke rolled the paper it came with into a ball and put it in the paper bag. "Please. If I was actually hitting on you, you would start panting all over the place like you usually do."

"What?" Naruto squawked. "I do not _pant_ everywhere. I don't wanna hear this from a guy who can't last longer than three minutes."

"I was saving it up." He grinned.

Naruto burst into laughter. "Oh, Sasuke."

"Oh, Naruto," he replied facetiously. "Are you finished with your sandwich yet? Did you enjoy all your meat?"

"Yeah, I did," Naruto answered, mouth full. "I do love havin' a thick slab of meat in my mouth. Just can't help myself."

"That makes two of us."

Naruto started choking; Sasuke chuckled and slapped him hard on the back.

"Don't say that to a guy when he's eatin'," Naruto complained. "I thought I was gonna die."

"I would've saved you. I know what to do."

"Yeah, right. You're just lookin' for an excuse to get behind me and thrust."

"That's not... exactly how the Heimlich maneuver works, I don't think."

"That's how your version of it works."

"Would you like it better if I did it from the front? I think it would be much less effective just to warn you."

"Wait, are we talkin' about sex now or are we still on the chokin' thing?"

"Clueless." Sasuke shook his head. "Come on. I only have a little while longer before I should head back home."

"Fine. M'done anyway. You take the pickle." He handed Sasuke the plastic bag that contained one giant-sized pickle. "Now, make sure to take it home and eat it. Don't try to do anything weird with it."

"Weird, like what?" He asked and then realized his mistake.

"Like stick it up your butt," Naruto said and spent the next minute cracking up at his own idiotic joke.

"That wasn't even funny," Sasuke remarked as he threw their remaining trash into one of the metal bins.

"So, are gay jokes off limits then?" Naruto asked as they left the park and walked along the sidewalk together.

"Well, I think they're open to you considering you've had your own homoerotic adventures lately."

"Ah, true. So I get a temporary pass?"

"Sure. I'll make you one and slather it in glitter."

"Heh. You're hilarious." He knocked into Sasuke's shoulder and folded his arms behind his head. "It's cool that we can joke about it though, right?"

Sasuke looked at him. "I think it's okay. It's good to be able to laugh at yourself, especially when there are other aspects of it that can get... a little too serious."

"Mm." Naruto nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I mean there's no point in angstin' about stuff all the time, eh? You with your gayness and me with my dad."

"Yes," he said dryly. "Me with my gayness."

Naruto bumped into him again. "So, what are we gonna do once we get back to my apartment?"

"Are there options?" Sasuke smirked.

"I have an idea of some stuff we could do."

"So long as it doesn't involve you giving me AIDS."

"Feline AIDS or regular AIDS?" Naruto asked. "I can pretty much guarantee I'm negative for at least one of them."

Sasuke actually laughed. "We are definitely going to hell for this conversation."

"Ah, well," said Naruto. "I suppose I'd at least be in good company then."

* * *

Back in the apartment, Sasuke put the precious pickle inside the refrigerator.

"Don't forget to take that home with you," Naruto said.

"You are really obsessed with those pickles, aren't you?" He closed the fridge door.

Naruto was sitting on the couch, with his bare foot on the coffee table. Sasuke must've been staring at it.

"Does it bother you that I have my foot on my own table?" Naruto asked.

"I don't care," he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking over. "It's your home, do what you want."

"So I could put both feet up here, and you wouldn't smack me for it?" He was smiling like such a brat while Sasuke collapsed on the couch next to him. He put his feet up, too. "Ah, see," said Naruto. "I _am_ rubbin' off on you."

"So when is your dad coming back?" He asked.

"Why? Wanna fool around?"

Sasuke glared out of the corner of his eye. "It's very cruel to tease a gay man, Naruto."

"Who said I was teasin'?" He lay his head on the back of the couch, and it was rather difficult to read his expression.

"Don't you already feel like you've put in your time? You gave me a handjob, after all."

"It's not like I think of you as a charity case. I mean, it was enjoyable to have you all under me and reactin' that way, and then at the end when you - "

Sasuke covered the other boy's mouth. "I was there. I know what happened."

Naruto nipped at one of his fingers, so he moved his hand.

"I think your problem, Sasuke, is that you're so uptight. Don't you feel like you can relax around me yet?"

"No," he said and lifted his gaze to the ceiling as he leaned his head back, too. "In fact, I think I feel the opposite sometimes."

"Maybe 'cause of all of the sexual tension. The best way to relieve it would be to, y'know, _relieve_ it."

Sasuke turned his head to look at him. "So I'll _relieve_ it when I go home tonight."

"Alright." Naruto shrugged. "It's not like I'm gonna force you to do stuff."

"You just like it when I start ordering you around and telling you what to do."

Naruto smiled. "Tch. You wish."

"You're smiling, so it must be true."

"It's 'cause I like when you talk as if you know everything. Sometimes I even believe you when you use that tone."

"Tone? I don't know what you mean."

"Like when you're psychoanalyzin' me or whatever. You do it all the time, and then suddenly your tone changes and you say it in this way that it must be an absolute truth. Although, often times you might kinda be on to somethin'."

Sasuke stared. "Now I think it's you who's overthinking things. If that's the way you want to play. I'll tell you to do something, that way if I'm the one initiating it, I suppose you don't have to feel held accountable for what happens between us."

"I dunno what you just said, but I think I'm insulted. I'm not a masochist and I'm not afraid to do anything with you, but every time I've tried to bring up the idea, you shoot me down, so, for me, that means you aren't interested and are just tryin' to be polite or something, which doesn't sound right either because you're a bastard. You can't still be hung up on me regrettin' things because _I'm_ the one who gave _you_ a handjob, and I'm fine with it. In fact, I'd do it again."

"Come here then," he said.

"Come where?" Naruto grinned.

"That is the question, isn't it? My lap. Get over here."

"Bossy," Naruto said, but, picking his feet off of the table, he stood up in front of Sasuke. Naruto, with a slap, pushed Sasuke's legs closer together, and then put one knee on the couch cushion. "You sure? What if my dad walks in. I'm less likely to jump off like a scared rabbit if he shows up."

Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke snatched his wrist and forcefully pulled him all the way onto the couch so that Naruto fell forward, catching himself on the back of the sofa. His shaggy blond hair fell across his eyes and his mouth hovered above Sasuke's.

"Asshole," he muttered as he settled down onto Sasuke's lap. "Happy now?"

Ignoring his tone, Sasuke placed one hand on his hip and snuck the other under Naruto's shirt. He had to admit, any opportunity he was given to touch Naruto's body felt extremely thrilling. Sasuke kept himself in good shape, but because Naruto was muscular _and_ tan _and_ had this sort of sexual charisma about him, it was very difficult not to want to treat him like a favorite unwrapped present on Christmas Day. He pushed the shirt up even further and leaned in to take the left nipple into his mouth. While he sucked it, he closed his eyes and let a hand travel down to the inner part of Naruto's thigh where he started to rub him.

"That was fast," Naruto muttered. "I dunno why you put up such a fight 'cause then once you get started - "

Sasuke bit him, causing his sentence to be left unfinished. He moved quickly on to the other nipple, sucking it, licking, and biting it. When he stopped to place a hand at the back of Naruto's neck and pull him in - it made the kiss that followed all the more explosive. Naruto opened his mouth to him, excitedly touching his tongue to Sasuke's, sliding it under and over. He moved his hand to Naruto's butt, dragging him forward on his lap. With another hands on Naruto's thigh, he let him be the one to control the kiss as he held Sasuke's face in his hands.

In between kisses, Sasuke happened to mumble, "Seems like you wanted to do this even more than me."

"Shut up," Naruto growled, biting at his bottom lip. "I told you I didn't get off last night, so excuse me if I'm feelin' a bit - "

Sasuke placed a hand to his chest pushing him back. Naruto gazed at him questioningly.

"It's nothing," he said. "I just wanted to see if you would say it while I'm looking at you."

"What? That I'm kinda horny 'cause I got to watch you get off last night, and 'cause we woke up in bed together, and we've been makin' out and talkin' about sex nearly the entire day?"

"I guess you really do have balls," Sasuke said, smirking. "Must be why I like you."

Naruto shook his head. "Don't make me laugh when I'm tryin' to seriously sex you up here."

"Oh, it's me that you're sexing up?"

"Okay, here's what I think." Naruto quickly got off of him and held out a hand.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Take it. We're goin' to my bedroom. Let me take a quick shower first. Gimme five minutes."

Sasuke took his hand, but, with an eyebrow raised, didn't move from the couch. "We're not going to - "

"No, we're not havin' sex, but we'll try somethin' else. I feel sweaty, though, and since I'm a nice guy, I thought I'd try to be all squeaky clean for when I let you suck my cock. So are you coming or not?"

Sasuke blinked several times. He almost completely thought his brain had imagined those words coming out of Naruto's mouth.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I don't think I heard you correctly."

Naruto rolled his eyes and gave him a hard tug that brought Sasuke to his feet.

"Do you," Naruto said to him like he was an idiot, "Want to suck me off? You mentioned you wanted practice, so I thought we'd give it a go if you're up for it."

Even though his brain was on the verge of rushing through all the reasons this could be a bad idea, he told it to shut the fuck up.

"I see you're not gonna give any excuses," Naruto commented. "Alright then. I bet we have at least 45 minutes. While I may not be as quick as you, I'm definitely not gonna last _that_ long."

"But... what if you don't like it?" Sasuke asked, wanting them to at least acknowledge the possibility. "What if - "

"I have a feelin' that won't be an issue, but if it doesn't work out, it's nothin' against you, Sasuke. Not that it helps to hear you have doubts before we even get started."

"Sorry," he said. "But if we're going to do this, I do want you to enjoy it and not be something you're suffering through on my behalf."

"I don't believe in regrets, so we're cool. Now c'mon. If you really need to, you can go watch some gay porn for some tips before I come back." Naruto towed him along toward the bedroom.

"I think I've watched enough gay porn to have a general idea of what works."

"I bet you have," replied Naruto. "How did that guy not have you suck him off at all?"

As they made their way into the bedroom, Naruto took off his shirt and threw it in a corner.

"Well," Sasuke said as he sat down on the bed. "I think my mouth was on there for maybe a few minutes before we moved on to other stuff."

"Maybe he thought you were bad at it," Naruto offered, glancing over his shoulder at him as he rummaged through his closet.

"Thanks. That's very reassuring. Asshole."

"Aw, don't be that way. It's sex, not rocket science. Most of it is all instinct and communication and enthusiasm. I'm gonna tell you what I like. I mean, we sort of have time restrictions, but yeah, okay, I'll lock the door. Still, though. I don't want you to feel rushed. The point is to make it last, so we can go as slow as you need to. Or... want to."

"Come here," Sasuke said, beckoning him over.

With a smirk, Naruto swaggered over to him. "Yes, master?"

Again, Sasuke touched the teen's flat stomach and pressed his lips to it, mouthing one or two of the abdominal muscles. He took hold of the button fastening for his jeans and unsnapped it easily. He placed another kiss to Naruto's stomach as he tugged at the zipper.

Realizing something, he lifted his head and looked at Naruto questioningly. "You're... not wearing underwear."

"You're just now noticing this? I gave yours back, remember?"

"This entire time you've been walking around with me wearing... no underwear."

"You really couldn't tell by looking?"

"My eyes aren't always trained on your crotch, Naruto."

He grinned. "You sure about that?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't know why it matters."

"Hm. Probably 'cause you woulda jumped me earlier."

"Probably," he admitted.

"You're gonna see it anyway. Why don't you finish what you've started?"

Sasuke stood up, pushing the other boy backward as he did. "Would you go this far for everybody? Acting like it's no big deal whether you fool around with another boy or not?"

He pushed Naruto all the way to the wall, where his back collided with a hard thud. Sasuke started sucking at Naruto's neck as he scraped his fingertips from his chest to his stomach to the tanned skin showing just above the waistband of his jeans. He unzipped them the rest of the way while biting Naruto's shoulder. Teasingly, he brushed his fingers across Naruto's pubic bone first before taking hold of his pants and pulling them lower - not all the way, but to about mid thigh. He didn't immediately leer, but he did set his forehead against Naruto's shoulder as he reached inside his jeans to touch him for the first time.

Naruto let out a quiet gasp next to his ear, which caught his attention and caused him to lift his head in order to look at him. Sasuke eyed his lips as he, very slowly, started to stroke his shaft. The instant the other boy's mouth parted, he attacked it, speeding up his hand at the same time. Truthfully, handjobs were no big thing to him. He knew exactly what to do, but what he hadn't expected in all of this was... being able to finally touch Naruto... it felt like he was under a spell and wouldn't be able to stop. In fact, he already wanted to drop to his knees and take him into his mouth. He could smell Naruto's sweat and musk, and, if anything, it was intoxicating. Fuck this teaching bullshit, he already knew what he wanted to do, and he didn't _want_ to prolong it. What he _wanted_ was something rough, short, and dirty that ended with Naruto cumming into his mouth.

"No shower," he muttered between kisses, and Naruto didn't argue.

He yanked Naruto's pants down the rest of the way, bypassing his cock briefly to help him kick them off. Sasuke threw them in the corner and - taking a moment to appreciate what he would finally be able to do - hungrily admired the full view of a very naked Naruto standing in front of him. First, he kissed his thighs, from the inner part of his knee, all the way up, sliding his tongue along the corded muscle until he was faced with what had been the object of his imagination on several occasions. It wasn't about comparing Naruto's to his own because what would be the point? It was great because it _was_ Naruto's. They were both cut. Still, the little differences... his was slightly thicker than Sasuke's, and it curved differently. The base of his penis was covered in a small patch of very fair golden pubic hair. Actually, there were several variations of blond - some dark, some light.

"Is my cock really so interesting?" Naruto asked.

"It is to me," he said, and getting comfortable on his knees, took hold of the shaft and started to pump him. "It's even better than I expected."

"Yeah?" Naruto smiled crookedly. "So you _have_ thought about it."

"More than you probably even realize," he said and pressed more kisses to the lower part of Naruto's stomach.

"I thought you might be more shy about this for some reason. Obviously I was wrong." Naruto let out a grunt as Sasuke's thumb slid from the tip to the part where the head joined the underside of his shaft. "Jesus."

"You act like I have no experience," he said, licking and kissing back down Naruto's thigh. "I know exactly what I want to do to you."

Naruto's head fell against the wall as Sasuke took him into his mouth for the first time. He licked around the sides and underneath, wetting Naruto's length and using his hand to try and spread his spit. If he was smart, he would've asked where he hid the lotion, but the last thing he wanted to do was remove his mouth from this particular cock. Holding firmly onto Naruto's hip, he kept him pushed against the wall. Every once in a while, he flicked his gaze up to Naruto's face. More often than not, Naruto's eyes were shut. Patches of his skin were blotchy as sweat began to break out. It was clear that he was enjoying himself because in the time he'd undone his jeans to this point now, Naruto was at least half hard. He also occasionally let out a curse, but it was the groans and moans that Sasuke really wanted to hear.

He knew what _he_ liked, which was alternating sensations - mouth, hand, lips, whatever, and then keeping a steady rhythm going throughout. He knew what to expect when Naruto was ready to be pushed over the edge, too. Letting Naruto fall from his lips, he continued to hold him in his hand while mouthing and kissing the head. Some of his pre-cum leaked out, covering his lips as he lapped it up enthusiastically. Honestly, he thought he could get off from giving a blowjob because his eyes were already more hooded than even Naruto's.

Naruto was intently observing what he was doing now, which made it all the more thrilling - so that when he pushed Sasuke's bangs off of his forehead and just _watched_, Sasuke was the one who groaned around _him_.

"Holy shit this is so much hotter than I expected," Naruto panted.

Sasuke would've smirked but he was trying to get more of him into his mouth. Deep throating was entirely out of the question and a talent he'd leave for the porn stars for now, but he did try for half way. Maybe if they moved to the bed they could do more. Slipping Naruto out of his mouth, he grabbed for his wrist instead.

"Bed," he commanded hoarsely and practically threw Naruto on top of it.

Sasuke pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it with all their other clothes. Naruto sat up, reaching for his belt, and as he rose to his knees, they started kissing. Sasuke would've tasted like him, so he wondered if that turned Naruto on or off? He must not have minded considering he kept sticking his tongue down Sasuke's throat, which only incited him further. Sasuke shoved him, and Naruto fell back again onto the comforter, his head landing on the pillow.

"You're such a fuckin' liar," Naruto said. "There's no way you're a beginner at this. Now I'm jealous. Why would you tell me you've only been with one guy?"

Sasuke lay on top of him, their bare chests touching. He _wanted_ for them both to be naked, and, yes, it was difficult not to want to rip his clothes off, but it was there in the back of his head that Naruto said several times sex was not what he wanted.

"Jealous?" He repeated as he undid his buckle and tossed the belt on the side of the bed so that it wouldn't rub up on Naruto and hurt him. "Don't even act as if something like that would make you jealous." He ran his hands all over Naruto's body, absolutely anywhere he could reach, and wherever his fingers touched, his mouth did, too.

Every little noise or whimper Naruto made drove him close to something like insanity. Maybe he'd been holding it in too long when it came to Naruto, or maybe it was because he hadn't even had physical contact with anyone for more than half a year, but he just wanted to devour him and bring him off. He slid his way back down Naruto's body, touching his thighs or teasingly brushing his hand against the side of his erection until he was able to take hold of it again and get it into his mouth. Now that Naruto was hard, it was much more difficult getting his lips fully around him, even half way.

"God, Sasuke, if you'd told me it would feel this good with a guy, we could've tried this a lot sooner."

Gripping the base of his shaft, he removed his mouth and nipped at Naruto's thigh. "If I would've known seeing you naked like this would be so fucking hot, I think I wouldn't have overthought things so much."

"No, shit."

While stroking and pumping, he paid some attention to Naruto's balls, licking and sucking on them. He was, however, mindful of going too close to Naruto's ass in case it would suddenly turn him off. If they hadn't talked about it beforehand, then he wasn't even going to attempt it. Plus, it would only get him thinking about all the things he'd like to do to Naruto's ass. As he thought about all that, he licked more, he sucked more, and the next time he had his mouth on Naruto, the other boy put a hand at the back of his head, encouraging him to go deeper and suck faster. Sasuke sensed that Naruto wasn't far off, especially when the pushing of his head turned into pulling at his hair. He pressed his hand flat to Naruto's stomach as the boy's legs started to bend more at the knees and lift. Sasuke moved with him, never letting his cock leave his mouth. He got on his knees, reached for a nipple to pinch, and heard Naruto softly groan his name. Sasuke looked up at Naruto's face, eyes halfway shut and body burning with desire for him to come.

"I'm really close," Naruto mumbled, obviously trying to warn him but not all that interested in pushing him off either.

Like hell he wasn't going to swallow while sucking him off for the first time. If anything, it's what he'd been waiting for.

He mouthed the head a few more times, which by now was slippery and sticky. He could feel and taste it all over his lips so that every time he openly kissed close to the tip, it sounded loud and wet. When Naruto's body felt like it was tightening underneath him, Sasuke let him fuck his mouth as he pleased until, with one last moan and short shout of his name, Naruto came. The quickness of it almost startled him, but he closed his eyes and swallowed all of it as Naruto pumped his hips and pushed at his head.

Afterward, Naruto, went still beneath him. Sasuke mouthed him a few more times before he moved to kiss, lick, and pay devotion to the tip and head. He hadn't felt like this during his first sexual experience. Because it was Naruto... he just felt like he wanted this person entirely. Wanted to get him off and make him feel good and he didn't even care a whole lot about his own pleasure. Not that he hadn't received any considering he was actually _incredibly_ hard and should not have worn such tight jeans today. On his way up Naruto's body, he even rubbed against the boy's thigh, which forced him to stop and pause. Sliding the rest of the way up, he was met by Naruto's mouth. His hips rocked into Sasuke's and his hands went all over his back and then into his hair. They kissed for a few minutes until Naruto pushed him up and asked him to get on his back. Reluctantly, he got off of him and, like Naruto wanted, flipped onto his back. Naruto got onto all fours above him.

Naruto smirked. "Feel better now?"

Sasuke only stared at his lips as they moved. "You're hot."

Naruto laughed as he started inching toward the foot of the bed and, with his eyes on Sasuke, he dragged his tongue along the outline of his erection. Sasuke's eyes nearly rolled back into his head, but he sat up, grabbed hold of Naruto's arm, and pulled him on top of his body.

"Don't worry about it," he said into Naruto's ear. "This is already enough."

"Why would I leave you like that?" Naruto asked, trying to get up again, but Sasuke kept him down by tightly holding him in his arms.

"I have to go soon anyway."

"Yeah, and you only take three minutes, plus you're that hard, so I'm guessin' 30 seconds at best."

Sasuke shushed him. "I said not to worry about it. That's enough to fulfill my masturbatory fantasies for at least the next few months."

The other boy chuckled and lay a kiss on Sasuke's throat. "You smell like my cum," he said.

Sasuke stared at him. "I don't know why. Just because it's in my mouth and on my hands and in between my fingers and under my fingernails and probably on my stomach, too."

"Makes you sound like a slut."

"Cockslut maybe. I didn't know I was one until now."

"Cockslut? Is that a thing?" Naruto shuffled over to the side and rolled onto his back. He gazed down at his own slowly softening penis, picked it up, and stroked it experimentally.

"Did I break it?" Sasuke asked him. He fought the desire to slap Naruto's hand away, grab it, and say "Mine!"

"I'm not used to comin' that fast and that hard. You were makin' so much damn noise and so into it, I got excited, too."

"You said it was about enthusiasm."

"And you were very fuckin' enthusiastic. No doubt about it, you are definitely very gay. Here I had it in my head, I'd have to be all gentle and patient and teach you what I liked and you'd be all coy and bashful about it, but Jesus. I dunno why I ever thought that since you attack everything else the same way."

"Hn. What can I say? I love cock."

"At least now I know what to get you for your birthday," said Naruto.

"Oh?" He asked. "I hope it includes your ass and my cock going in it."

"Holy shit, I was gonna say a dildo, you bastard!"

"Okay, how about a dildo shaped like your cock, and then I'll use it on special occasions."

"Use it?" Naruto asked.

"Yes."

"You'd use a dildo in the shape of _my_ cock?"

"Maybe get me two," Sasuke said, smirking at him.

"Two?" Naruto asked incredulously. "How would that even be realistic?"

"I thought one for my ass and one for my mouth - "

Naruto held his hand up. "That's... not what I meant. I mean there'd be no way for that to even realistically happen so why bother fantasizin' about it? God, now I'm imagining it!"

"Is that such a bad thing?" Sasuke asked seriously.

"No? Maybe. I dunno. It's confusing."

"It's not flattering that I'd fantasize about the possibility of somehow there being two of you where you could fuck me from behind while I suck off your other self?"

"What? Do you think I can make clones of myself or something?"

"If you could... I would definitely pursue you seriously."

"Wait." Naruto sat up. "My head is gonna explode."

Sasuke, sliding his hand down his own chest and resting it on his stomach, glanced up at him. "I'm kidding, Naruto. I know you don't want to have sex with guys."

"That's not...that's not what's... grah. But, too many things to think about. Plus you talkin' about me fuckin' you... it's..."

"Distracting?" Sasuke suggested.

"Yes," Naruto said. "Very distracting. I have a feelin' that if you really wanted to, you could easily seduce me into it with your powers."

"My powers?"

Naruto let out a heavy sigh. "I wonder if I have any shorts I can put on."

"Want me to look for you? I suppose your dad should be back any minute."

"Yeah, I dunno how I'd even explain me walkin' out like this as you leave."

Sasuke got up and went toward the dresser. "Top drawer?"

"I think, yeah."

Sasuke opened it, found a pair of checkered blue and white boxers, and tossed them to Naruto. "There you are."

Unrepentant, he watched as Naruto put them on, adjusting himself in the process. Sasuke went to get his own shirt and belt, too. He put his shirt on first and then worked on sliding the belt through the loops. Naruto got off of the bed, went behind him, and grabbed his hands.

"You missed a loop," Naruto said into his ear, sending the hair at the back of his neck straight up. "Let me do it."

He took it all the way out and slid it properly through all the loops this time.

"It's 'cause you're overly excited," Naruto said to him.

Sasuke turned around and kissed him, running his hands up and down Naruto's naked back and, because he couldn't help it, he put them on Naruto's butt and squeezed him against his body.

Naruto laughed into their next kiss, but Sasuke swallowed up the sound, pushing his tongue into Naruto's mouth until he responded with equal passion.

When they parted, Sasuke licked his lips, loving that he could still taste Naruto on them. "Thank you, Naruto."

Naruto cocked his head. "For what?"

"Everything," he said. "For this weekend... just... for everything."

Naruto nodded, though he looked embarrassed. "It was nothin'."

"Well, it was something to me. I'm not even talking about this or last night, but... really. Everything."

Naruto's smile became wide, and he scratched the back of his neck. "Okay, sure... not like I didn't get anything out of it either. I... had a good time. I'm glad we got to talk about stuff."

"Me, too."

"This is starting to sound like an awkward couple at the end of a date."

"Yeah, well. Isn't it kind of like that? Don't you think?" Sasuke asked him and bit anxiously at his lip, wondering if things would continue to be this way between them from now on.

"Maybe," Naruto agreed. "I just don't want anything to get weird. I wanna be honest with you and say that I don't want us to sit around and think 'well, what does this mean?'"

"I don't want us to do that either. I consider you a friend first. That's what's most important to me."

Naruto nodded. "But if you make out with anyone besides me over the next month, I don't wanna hear about it."

"Same." Sasuke smirked and reached out to cup Naruto's cheek. The touch was very brief, and then he let his hand fall away.

Naruto began biting his lip.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothin'." Naruto looked away. "Guess I got used to havin' you around."

"I'll call you tonight if there's time. If not, I'll see what you're up to tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Naruto whined. "That's far. What if the world ends tomorrow?"

"That's morbid," Sasuke said, eyebrow raised. "I have to say, if the world ends tomorrow, I'm glad we were able to squeeze that blowjob in."

"Heh. Me, too. I wonder if now, every time I jerk off, I'll be thinkin' about your mouth on my dick."

"I have no arguments or complaints about that."

"Of course you wouldn't since you're thinkin' about two me's givin' it to you at the same time."

"A boy can dream," he said, smiling.

"That he can," Naruto replied. "Goodbye kiss then." He pulled Sasuke to him by the shirt. "A real one, okay?"

Sasuke knew what he meant, so, when their mouths met, it was a slow kiss. Through it, he expressed his gratitude, his fondness, his respect, his friendship, and even the other secretive feelings he would have to keep locked up - at least for a while. Naruto did about the same, kissing him gently as he kept his hands firmly in place, just under his shoulder blades.

"Okay then," Naruto said when it ended.

"Okay then," said Sasuke. "I should... probably go."

"Yeah. You need to get back and hang out with Itachi."

"So, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"You said maybe tonight." Naruto frowned.

"We've been together for the last few days. Aren't you tired of me?"

"Like I said, I got used to havin' you around."

Sasuke reached into his back pocket for his keys. "We have plenty of time to hang out. I'll take you out this week."

"Like a date?" Naruto asked, smiling broadly even if he was teasing.

"I'd be happy to call it that if you'd like."

Naruto's expression changed to something that absolutely required one more lingering kiss.

"Goodbye, Naruto," he said afterward. "I'll show myself out."

He opened the bedroom door and gave Naruto one last look, feeling a strange sense of longing overcome him.

But.

It was time to go home, and they'd be seeing each other again soon enough.

"Bye, Sasuke," Naruto said, following him to the apartment door. "You're not gonna take your pickle?"

"I'll come and get it tomorrow," he said.

"Promise?"

"Naruto," he said.

"What?"

"You're a bit gay for me now, aren't you?"

"Kind of." Naruto grinned warmly at him. "But, y'know. High school romances and stuff."

"Right. I feel the same."

"Well, um. Get out of my apartment already then. It's cool. Go home and leave me all alone after you've gotten what you wanted."

"Shut up," Sasuke said, and closing the door again, he dragged Naruto into a hug and affectionately kissed the side of his head. "If you don't hear from me later, go to bed, and I'll call you in the morning."

"M'kay."

"Bye, Naruto." He opened the door, and not a single part of him truly wanted to leave, but it's not like they could stay together forever.

Closing the door behind him, Sasuke paused in the hallway while experiencing an odd case of déjà vu. For a second, he felt like something like this had happened at another time. Past lives? Is that what Naruto had said earlier? Sasuke didn't know if he believed in all that, but to consider the idea of Naruto being a person who would always show up in whatever universe they happened to exist in -

It wasn't a terrible idea. In fact, it was incredibly comforting in a way.

He _also_ thought it was okay to hold out a _little_ hope that something really could happen between them in the future. Because, so far, Naruto did feel like a person his heart and soul couldn't do without - even if it was going to take patience on his part before Naruto came to a similar realization.

* * *

**The end.**


End file.
